Hamas announced on Monday that its leaders had told Egyptian and Qatari mediators that they accepted the countries’ most recent Gaza ceasefire proposal. Israel’s war cabinet responded by voting to continue its military operation in Rafah and the IDF announced strikes on targets in Rafah, after negotiators studied the proposal. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office also said that Israel would send a delegation to Cairo to continue negotiations. The strikes in Rafah came as Palestinians in Gaza were celebrating Hamas’s announcement and Israeli protestors joined families of the hostages to demand Israel accept the deal.

Hamas’s announcement followed Israel’s evacuation orders for parts of Rafah. KAN, Israel’s public broadcaster, reported that the proposal was made by the mediators without Israeli involvement. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, later told Reuters that Hamas accepted a “softened” version with “far-reaching” consequences that Israel couldn’t accept. “This would appear to be a ruse intended to make Israel look like the side refusing a deal,” the Israeli official said. 

Reuters reported some of the details of the proposal, which would have three phases, based on statements from Hamas officials and “an official briefed on the talks.” The first phase would include a 42-day ceasefire, the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces in Gaza, and the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza. The second phase would include another 42-day ceasefire, an agreement to restore “sustainable calm,” the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops in Gaza, and the release of captive Israeli soldiers and reservists in exchange for the release of more Palestinian prisoners. The third phase would include the exchange of bodies, the implementation of a reconstruction plan for Gaza and the end of the blockade on Gaza.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told state media that he welcomed the deal, and urged the international community to pressure Israel to accept it.  Jordan’s king warned that an Israeli attack on Rafah could lead to a “new massacre,” and the UN Secretary-General urged Israel and Hamas to “go the extra mile needed to make an agreement.”

US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said the US, which has expressed opposition to Israel invading Rafah, was studying the deal with its allies, and that the US was working to secure a ceasefire agreement. Hamas deputy official Khalil al-Hayya told Al Jazeera that mediators told them the US was committed to implementing the agreement.

Hamas had previously sent a delegation to Cairo to discuss a ceasefire and hostage release proposal and said Sunday that there was not an agreement. Earlier on Monday, a Hamas official told an Israeli reporter that negotiations were likely to be suspended and talks had seemed to break down, with the two parties accusing the other of sabotaging a deal. Israel started preparing for ground operations in Rafah, with an evacuation announcement and overnight air strikes.