Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid urged the right-wing religious government on Tuesday to conclude an agreement with Hamas to end the war and release the remaining hostages. According to the Israeli news site Ynet, affiliated with Yedioth Ahronoth, Lapid said a senior representative from a mediating country informed him that Israel has not yet responded to the latest proposal. The proposal, which Lapid says includes 98% of what US special envoy Steve Witkoff conveyed, involves a 60-day ceasefire during which initially 10 living hostages would be released in exchange for a number of Palestinian prisoners. Israel accepted the original proposal presented by Witkoff in the spring, but Hamas rejected it then, insisting on a ceasefire agreement. However, Hamas gave a “positive” response to the new proposal more than a week ago. Israel now indicates it is not interested in a partial agreement.

Lapid stated that the agreement could be concluded based on the latest mediators’ proposal. The mediator told him, “We do not understand why Israel has not responded to us.” The former prime minister added, “Our hostages are dying slowly in tunnels, from hunger and suffocation, while the Israeli government has ‘more important things’ to do.”