Hamas accepts new hostage deal, which Israel counters with demand for additional captives: reports

At least five hostages held by Hamas, including New Jersey native Edan Alexander, could be freed under new cease-fire proposals, officials said Saturday as tens of thousands of protestors flooded Israeli streets demanding the release of all captives.The terror group agreed to release the five hostages, who were kidnapped in its Oct.7, 2023 massacre in Israel, in exchange for a 50-day cease-fire over the Eid al-Fitr holiday and continuing through Passover, officials told Israeli and Arab news outlets Saturday.Eid, which marks the end of Ramadan, begins on Saturday night and ends Wednesday.The proposal, put forward by Egypt after continued pressure from the US over the impasse, also calls for the release of Palestinian prisoners and reentry of aid into Gaza, the Times of Israel reported.Israel responded with its own counteroffer, according to the outlet.“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conducted a series of consultations yesterday, following a proposal received from the mediators,” a statement from his office said Saturday.“In recent hours, Israel transferred its counter proposal to the mediators, in full coordination with the United States,” it continued.The details of the counteroffer were unclear but the Israel Hayom newspaper reports Tel Aviv is insisting on the terms of a deal brokered by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, which calls for 10 to 12 hostages to be released alive.Hamas previously rejected that proposal.The US has lobbied Egypt and Qatar to pressure Hamas in recent days to release hostages, which would restore the cease-fire that Israel ended in mid-March and buy time for new negotiations, Axios reported.The Egyptian proposal also comes days after reports that Qatar presented Hamas with a new US plan to bring about a cease-fire in Gaza through the release of 21-year-old Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage.Hamas still holds 59 captives, 24 of whom are believed to still be alive.

Alexander is the only living American hostage.The te...