In a statement on Saturday, Hamas said it had “submitted its response … to the mediating parties”.

“That is the only way we can close a 60-day ceasefire deal in the coming days in which half of the living hostages and half of those who are deceased will come home to their families and in which we can have … substantive negotiations in good-faith to try to reach a permanent ceasefire,” he added in a post on X.

“Israel will continue its efforts to bring our hostages home and to defeat Hamas.”

It would include the release of five living hostages and nine bodies in exchange for a number of Palestinian prisoners during the first week, followed by a second exchange the following week, the sources said.

‘Hungriest place on Earth’

Israel has come under increasing international criticism over the dire humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory, where the United Nations warned this week that the entire population was at risk of famine.