Hamas Declines US-Brokered Ceasefire and Hostage Agreement with Israel

A senior official from Hamas has announced that the armed  group will not accept the latest ceasefire and hostage release proposal put forth by the United States. 

The White House confirmed that Israel had endorsed the plan, which was presented by US envoy Steve Witkoff, and is now awaiting Hamas’s formal response.

Israeli media reports indicated that the deal would require Hamas to release ten living hostages and the remains of eighteen others in two stages, in exchange for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners. 

However, the Hamas official indicated that the proposal falls short of critical demands, including a complete cessation of hostilities, and stated that a formal response would be ‘forthcoming’

While the Israeli government has not made an official statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly expressed support for Witkoff’s proposal during discussions with hostage families. Following the breakdown of a two-month ceasefire facilitated by the US, Qatar, and Egypt, Israel has maintained a total blockade on Gaza and resumed military operations against Hamas in March. This renewed offensive aims to compel the release of the remaining 58 hostages, with at least 20 believed to be alive. 

In mid-May, the Israeli military intensified its operations, with Netanyahu declaring that troops would seize control of all areas in Gaza, although he later announced a partial easing of the blockade to allow essential food supplies into the region to prevent famine.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, nearly 4,000 individuals have died in the territory over the past ten weeks, while the UN estimates that around 600,000 people have been displaced due to ongoing military actions and evacuation orders. A UN-backed report warns that approximately 500,000 individuals are at risk of facing severe hunger in the coming months. During a news conference in Washington, the White House reiterated that Israel had approved the ceasefire plan submitted to Hamas, and discussions with mediators are ongoing, with hopes for a ceasefire that would facilitate the return of all hostages.

A Hamas official informed the BBC that the current proposal differs from earlier discussions. The group indicated that the offer does not include assurances for transitioning from a temporary truce to a lasting ceasefire and fails to reinstate the humanitarian measures that previously permitted hundreds of aid trucks to enter Gaza each day. Nevertheless, Hamas confirmed it is still in communication with mediators and will provide its written response in due time.

Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu informed the families of hostages, “We agree to accept the latest Witkoff plan that was presented to us this evening. Hamas has not yet replied. We do not anticipate that Hamas will release the final hostage, and we will not exit the Strip until all hostages are secured in our possession.”

Subsequently, his office released a statement accusing a journalist of trying to bring a recording device into the meeting, but did not refute his backing of the US proposal.

Netanyahu has emphasized that Israel will continue the war until every hostage is freed, Hamas is disarmed or eliminated, and its leaders are exiled. In response, Hamas has stated its readiness to release all captives in exchange for a complete cessation of hostilities and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

The conflict commenced after Hamas executed a cross-border assault on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and the abduction of 251 hostages. Additionally, four hostages were already being held in Gaza prior to the assault. To date, Israel has managed to secure the return of 197 hostages, with 148 of them alive, primarily through two temporary ceasefire agreements.

As reported by Gaza’s health ministry, at least 54,249 individuals have lost their lives during the conflict, including 3,986 since hostilities resumed. On Thursday alone, 54 individuals were reportedly killed in Israeli airstrikes, with 23 fatalities occurring in a single residence in the central Bureij region. The Israeli military stated it had targeted “numerous terror sites” in the last 24 hours.