ISRAEL has put forward a proposal for an extended truce in Gaza in exchange for Hamas returning half the remaining hostages that it captured on October 7, 2023.

This comes as Israeli forces issued fresh evacuation orders and warned they were planning “intense operations” in southern Gaza around the city of Rafah.

The proposal would see the return of half the 24 hostages still believed to be alive and around half of the 35 assumed to be dead. The proposed truce would reportedly last between 40 to 50 days.