A senior Hamas official has told the BBC that the group will reject the latest Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal proposed by the US and approved by Israel, citing unmet core demands including a permanent end to the war.
The US said Israel had agreed to the plan, which was presented by US envoy Steve Witkoff. According to Israeli media, the deal would involve Hamas releasing 10 living hostages and returning the bodies of 18 others in two stages, in exchange for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.
While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly told families of hostages that he accepted the proposal, Hamas criticized the offer for lacking assurances of a permanent ceasefire and for not restoring previous levels of humanitarian aid access into Gaza. The group said it would respond in writing later.
Fighting resumed on March 18 after the collapse of a US-, Qatar-, and Egypt-brokered truce. Israel reimposed a full blockade on Gaza and began intensified military operations to pressure Hamas to release the 58 remaining hostages, at least 20 of whom are believed to still be alive.
On May 19, Israel launched a major ground offensive across Gaza, with Netanyahu pledging to seize full control of the territory. He later announced limited easing of the blockade to prevent famine, as UN reports warned that over 500,000 Gazans face catastrophic hunger.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, nearly 4,000 people have been killed in the past 10 weeks alone, with the overall death toll in the war exceeding 54,000. The UN says recent Israeli operations have displaced another 600,000 people.
The conflict began after Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and led to the capture of 251 hostages. Since then, 197 hostages have been returned, mostly during previous ceasefires, including 148 who were alive.
Despite ongoing negotiations, Hamas insists on a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire in exchange for the release of all remaining hostages.
