Hamas has issued a formal reply to a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal, indicating willingness to release 28 hostages—10 alive and 18 deceased—in return for the release of Palestinian prisoners. However, the group maintains its primary demands: a permanent end to the conflict and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Describing the response as “positive,” a Hamas official said the group supports the general framework of the proposal from U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, but is seeking unspecified changes.
“This response aims to achieve a lasting ceasefire, the full withdrawal from Gaza, and sustained humanitarian aid access for our people,” Hamas said in a statement.
U.S. Envoy Rejects Hamas Proposal
Envoy Steve Witkoff dismissed Hamas’s response as “totally unacceptable,” claiming it set back progress. His plan involved a 60-day truce in which 28 of the remaining 58 hostages would be exchanged for over 1,200 Palestinian prisoners, with humanitarian aid flowing into Gaza as part of the deal.
According to a Palestinian source familiar with the talks, Hamas wants the hostage releases staggered in three phases over the 60-day period, alongside expanded aid distribution across Gaza. The group also seeks assurances that any truce will evolve into a permanent ceasefire.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed that military operations would continue until all hostages are freed and Hamas is defeated. Israel has consistently rejected Hamas’s preconditions, instead demanding the group’s full disarmament and surrender.
More on the Hostages
It has now been over 580 days since Hamas abducted 251 individuals during the October 7, 2023, assault on Israel. The fate of the remaining hostages remains a central issue in negotiations.
Hamas Commander Reportedly Killed
On Saturday, the Israeli military announced the death of Hamas commander Mohammad Sinwar, allegedly killed in an Israeli strike on May 13. Sinwar, the younger brother of deceased Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, was targeted in an attack on a hospital in southern Gaza. Hamas has not confirmed the report.
Israel relaunched its offensive in March following a two-month truce and continues to strike Gaza targets, including sniper positions, while claiming to have eliminated a senior Hamas figure.
The Israeli campaign has cleared significant areas along Gaza’s perimeter, forcing over 2 million residents into a confined coastal zone and the city of Khan Younis. In early March, Israel also initiated a complete blockade of Gaza to cripple Hamas, prompting widespread global criticism due to the resulting humanitarian crisis.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
Aid organisations reported that dozens of World Food Programme (WFP) trucks delivering flour to Gaza bakeries were hijacked and looted by armed factions and civilians suffering from severe hunger.
“After nearly 80 days under total blockade, communities are starving and no longer willing to passively watch food drive by,” the WFP stated.
UN Condemns Insufficient Aid
The incident adds to growing concerns over aid insecurity, even after Israel partially lifted its blockade earlier this month. The UN says conditions in Gaza are now the worst they’ve been since the conflict began 19 months ago, with famine threatening the entire population.
“The current aid flow is an insult to the enormous human tragedy unfolding before us,” said Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, the UN’s relief agency for Palestinians, in a post on X.
