Israel is moving closer to an agreement on a six-week ceasefire with Hamas

ISRAEL has moved closer to agreeing a six-week ceasefire with Hamas.

According to reports, the deal would include a pause in hostilities in exchange for up to 40 vulnerable hostages.

Benjamin Netanyahu said: 'We are working on another framework for the release of our hostages' — Benjamin Netanyahu said: ‘We are working on another framework for the release of our hostages’Credit: AP

Hundreds Palestinian prisoners would also be released, some of whom were convicted of killing Israelis.

A number of Palestinians will be allowed to return to northern Gaza, while humanitarian aid will be significantly increased.

Israel will send another delegation to Qatar this week to further negotiate final details, following a meeting in Paris this weekend.

The meeting inside Parisinvolving US mediators, Egypt And Qatarhas dramatically increased hopes for peace.

Officials claimed that Hamas “dropped some of its demands” after pressure from the prime minister Benjamin Netanyahubut that the two sides were “still far from an agreement”.

Mr Netanyahu said: “We are working on another framework for the release of our hostages, as well as completing the elimination of the Hamas battalions in Rafah.

“That is why I have sent a delegation to Paris and tonight we will discuss the next steps in the negotiations.”

Hamas has yet to comment on the details of the proposal, but has previously said a ceasefire should be long-term and include a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Israel. Gaza.

Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi said a temporary ceasefire “cannot under any circumstances be interpreted as an end to the war.”

Of the 134 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza it is feared that around fifty people have been killed.

Hamas said it has only three weeks to free Israel’s hostages or face a massacre in Gaza’s last terror stronghold of Rafah.

The Israeli army continued to attack southern, central and northern Gaza over the weekend, killing dozens of Palestinians.

It also announced that it had arrested more than 200 “terror suspects” at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza last week.

Israel is preparing to launch a devastating ground invasion into the refugee-filled area Gazan city of Rafah.

Mr Netanyahu has vowed to crush Hamas’ “last bastion” which he claims is in the city to finally end the crushing war.

The US hopes to oversee a ceasefire that would end a truce ground invasion of Rafahwhere up to 1.5 million people live.

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