The key mediator from Qatar has mentioned that Hamas has given a “positive” response to a proposed truce agreement with Israel. Meanwhile, the Palestinian group has emphasized its call for an immediate end to the Israeli offensive in Gaza. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken toured the war-torn region for the fifth time in 4 months seeking an enduring end to Israel's nearly four-month war upon Gaza.

During a press conference on Tuesday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani described Hamas’s reaction to the proposal as “generally positive”, without providing more details.

"We have received a reply from Hamas with regards to the general framework of the agreement with regards to hostages. The reply includes some comments, but in general it is positive," Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani told reporters.

Blinken said Hamas’s response to the proposal brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States has been shared with Israeli officials.

During his four-nation visit to the Middle East, Blinken expressed his intention to discuss the response with Israeli authorities when he arrives in the country on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters in Doha on Tuesday, Blinken emphasized the importance of the agreement.

“There’s still a lot of work to be done. But we continue to believe that an agreement is possible and indeed essential, and we will continue to work relentlessly to achieve it,” he said.

Hamas confirmed it delivered its response to proposals hammered out a week ago in Paris between Qatar and other mediators, according to an AFP report.

Hamas said in a statement that its leaders had reviewed the “comprehensive ceasefire deal … with a positive spirit”, including details on securing relief and shelter, reconstruction, the lifting of a 17-year-old crippling siege, and the completion of the “prisoner exchange” process.

Qatar has been actively engaged in negotiations with the US and Egypt, aiming to secure a comprehensive deal that involves a long-term cease-fire and the release of hostages held by Hamas.

Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani pointed out that mediators encounter numerous challenges during the talks, emphasizing that the evolving situation on the ground in Gaza directly influences the advancement of negotiations.

“We are hoping to see it yielding and yielding very soon,” Al Jazeera quoted the Qatari PM as saying.

The proposed agreement was drafted more than a week ago by US and Israeli intelligence chiefs during a meeting with Egyptian and Qatari officials.

Meanwhile, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that all parties engaged in the mediation process are reviewing Hamas’ reaction to the agreement.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to comment on the response but said on Tuesday, "We are on the way to the total victory and we will not stop. This position represents the overwhelming majority of the people."

The war that started with an unprecedented multi-pronged Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October, killed about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

According to an AFP report, Hamas militants also seized around 250 hostages. Israel says 132 remain in Gaza, including 29 who are believed to have been killed.

Vowing to eliminate Hamas, Israel launched retaliatory air strikes and a land offensive that have killed over 30,000 people in Gaza.

In the most recent development in the continuing conflict, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced on Sunday that IDF soldiers conducted operations within a compound in Khan Younis, discovering AK-47 rifles, ammunition, military gear, and technological assets.

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