The Palestinian militant group has reportedly expressed readiness for a deal but stopped short of endorsing a temporary ceasefire

The Palestinian militant group Hamas has expressed readiness for a deal with Israel to end the war in Gaza, the Associated Press (AP) reported on Wednesday.

Hamas official Taher al-Nunu was quoted as saying the group was "ready to accept any initiative that clearly leads to the complete end to the war." However, it reportedly stopped short of endorsing a 60-day ceasefire plan proposed by Washington.

The statement came after US President Donald Trump warned Hamas that rejecting the American-backed proposal would worsen its position. Trump said on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday that Israel "has agreed" to the terms needed to finalize the 60-day truce, during which all sides would work to bring the war to an end.

An Israeli official told AP the plan includes a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, a surge in humanitarian aid, and mediated talks aimed at ending the conflict. However, Israel is not formally committing to a full cessation of hostilities as part of the current proposal, the official said.

Hamas, in a brief statement on Wednesday, reportedly confirmed it had received the proposal from mediators and was working to "bridge gaps" in order to return to the negotiating table. A Hamas delegation is expected to meet with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo, a source told the outlet.

The militant group has said it is willing to release the remaining 50 hostages - fewer than half of whom are believed to be alive - in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal and a permanent end to the war. Israel has rejected those terms.

"There will be no Hamas," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a speech on Wednesday. He has insisted the group must surrender, disarm, and leave Gaza, conditions Hamas refuses to accept.

The war, now in its 22nd month, has devastated Gaza. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, the death toll in the enclave surpassed 57,000 by Wednesday, as Israeli strikes intensified amid ceasefire talks.

The conflict began with a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel that killed around 1,200 people and took 250 hostage.

(RT.com)