A senior Hamas official has said the Palestinian armed group will reject the latest US proposal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. The White House stated that Israel had approved the plan presented by US envoy Steve Witkoff and was awaiting a formal response from Hamas. Reports from Israeli media indicated that the deal would involve Hamas handing over 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 others in two phases, in exchange for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners. However, the Hamas official said the proposal did not meet key demands, such as a complete end to the war, and noted that Hamas would issue a formal response in due time. While the Israeli government has not publicly commented, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly told families of hostages that he supported Witkoffs proposal. Israel had imposed a total blockade on Gaza, and resumed military operations against Hamas in March after the collapse of a two-month ceasefire facilitated by the US, Qatar, and Egypt. The renewed offensive was intended to pressure Hamas to release the remaining 58 hostages, of whom at least 20 are believed to be alive. In mid-May, the Israeli military expanded its offensive, with Netanyahu stating that troops would take control of all areas of Gaza. He later announced a partial easing of the blockade, allowing a basic level of food into the territory to stave off famine. According to Gazas Hamas-run health ministry, nearly 4,000 people have been killed in the territory in the past 10 weeks. The UN estimates another 600,000 people have been displaced again due to ongoing operations and evacuation orders, and a UN-backed report warns that about 500,000 face catastrophic hunger in the months ahead. At a news conference in Washington, the White House confirmed that Israel had signed off on the ceasefire plan submitted to Hamas. Discussions with mediators are ongoing, and the US hopes for a ceasefire that will allow the return of all hostages. However, a Hamas official told the BBC that the current offer diverged from previous discussions. The group said the proposal lacked guarantees for a transition from a temporary truce to a permanent ceasefire and did not restore the humanitarian provisions that previously allowed hundreds of aid trucks into Gaza daily. Still, Hamas confirmed it remained in contact with mediators and would deliver its written response in due course. Israels Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu told hostages families, We agree to accept the latest Witkoff plan that was conveyed to us tonight. Hamas has not yet responded. We do not believe Hamas will release the last hostage, and we will not leave the Strip until all the hostages are in our hands. His office later issued a statement accusing a reporter of attempting to bring a recording device into the meeting, but did not deny his support for the US proposal. Netanyahu has reiterated that Israel will not end the war until all hostages are released, Hamas is disarmed or destroyed, and its leaders are exiled. Hamas, in turn, has said it is willing to release all captives in exchange for a total end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The war began after Hamas launched a cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. An additional four hostages had been held in Gaza prior to the attack. To date, Israel has secured the return of 197 hostages, 148 of them alive, mainly through two temporary ceasefire deals. According to Gazas health ministry, at least 54,249 people have been killed during the war, including 3,986 since the resumption of hostilities. On Thursday alone, 54 people were reportedly killed in Israeli strikes, including 23 in a single home in the central Bureij area. The Israeli military said it had targeted dozens of terror targets over the past 24 hours.
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