Exclusive: Hamas proposes long-term ceasefire if Israel fully withdraws from Gaza

Hamas has told mediators that it is prepared to freeze all offensive operations against Israel from Gaza for up to a decade, and it is prepared to bury its weapons, if Israeli forces fully withdraw from the enclave, a senior Palestinian official familiar with the discussions told Middle East Eye in an exclusive report. 

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks, said the offer was presented to Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators in Cairo last week.

The offer represents what he described as a substantive move by Hamas intended to give momentum to the next phase of the ceasefire negotiations.

"The proposal is clear," the official said.

"Hamas is offering a guarantee that no weapon will be fired from Gaza against Israel, and it will do that by burying the weapons. It offered to establish a hudna (a term used in Islamic tradition to describe a long-term truce) for seven to ten years between Gaza and Israel, and Hamas will not use the weapons," the official added. 

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