Israel has accepted a US ceasefire proposal for Gaza that Israeli officials familiar with the matter said would involve a 60-day pause in the fighting and restore UN-led aid distribution to the enclave.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told families of hostages held in Gaza that Israel has accepted a new ceasefire proposal presented by U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff,

US special envoy Steve Witkoff has told CNN that a ceasefire-hostage deal for Gaza is currently on the table with a pathway to end the war, and urged Hamas to accept it.

Steve Witkoff stated in Washington on Wednesday that he has "some very good feelings about getting to a long-term resolution — a temporary ceasefire and a long-term resolution, a peaceful resolution of that conflict," adding that a new U.S. proposal would soon be presented to both parties.

President Trump reportedly expected to personally unveil terms of US-brokered ceasefire, as both sides agree to phased release of hostages and prisoners over 60-day truce period.

Pope Leo called for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages in a May 28 general audience, following in the steps of his predecessor Pope Francis, who was both praised and criticized for using his position to advocate for ending the war in Gaza.

More than 300 of the most prominent writers from the UK and Ireland have called Israel’s actions in Gaza ‘genocide’. In an open letter, the group of writers also called for their governments to push for an immediate ceasefire.

Saskatoon nurse Casey Eberl was working in Gaza when Israel used heavy airstrikes to break a two-month-long ceasefire.