Israel accepts US proposal for temporary ceasefire in Gaza during Ramadan, Passover holidays

JERUSALEM -- Israel has accepted the US proposal for a temporary ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza for the Ramadan and Passover holidays, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement early Sunday.

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan began on Friday and will last until March 30, while the Jewish Passover week will be marked from April 12 to 20.

According to the proposal by US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, on the first day of the extended ceasefire, about half of the 59 living and dead Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza would be returned. At the end of the outline period, if an agreement is reached on a permanent ceasefire, the rest of the hostages would be released.

The statement said that Witkoff proposed extending the ceasefire after he felt that bridging the parties' positions to end the war was impossible at this stage and that more time was needed for talks on a permanent ceasefire.

It added that "while Israel has agreed to the Witkoff outline to return our hostages, Hamas has so far stuck to its refusal to accept this outline."

"While Hamas has repeatedly violated the agreement, Israel is not in violation," the statement reads. "If Hamas changes its position, Israel will immediately enter into negotiations on all the details of the Witkoff outline."

The statement also stressed that Israel may return to fighting if it believes that the negotiations are ineffective, as the first 42-day phase of the ceasefire-hostages agreement expired on Saturday.