Washington/Gaza – Israel has agreed to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire proposal for Gaza, the White House confirmed on Friday, while Palestinian militant group Hamas stated it was still reviewing the plan, calling its terms insufficient to meet the group's core demands.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt announced that Israel had accepted the latest ceasefire framework, though she did not provide details on the agreement. Israeli media simultaneously reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had informed families of hostages held in Gaza about the deal, reportedly presented by U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. Netanyahu’s office has not yet formally confirmed those reports.
According to a draft of the deal seen by Reuters, the proposal outlines a 60-day ceasefire, the release of 28 Israeli hostages (alive and deceased), and the exchange of 125 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences, along with the return of 180 Palestinian remains. Aid deliveries to Gaza would commence immediately upon Hamas’ acceptance. The plan also states that Hamas will release the final 30 hostages only once a permanent ceasefire is in place.
Notably, the draft does not contain a firm Israeli commitment to end the war, a sticking point in previous negotiations.
Hamas Response: 'Does Not Meet Our People's Demands'
Hamas confirmed it was evaluating the proposal. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters that the group was still in internal discussions. “The terms reflect the Zionist position and do not include a commitment to end the war, withdraw Israeli forces, or allow the entry of sufficient humanitarian aid,” Abu Zuhri said.
Echoing this sentiment, top Hamas political figure Bassem Naim told the Associated Press, “The Zionist response, in essence, means perpetuating the occupation and continuing the killing and famine. It does not respond to any of our people’s demands, foremost among which is stopping the war and famine.”
A source close to Hamas told Walla News that the current proposal was “more biased in favour of Israel than previous proposals.”
Internal Divisions and Political Pressures in Israel
The Israeli government remains internally divided on the issue. While Netanyahu faces increasing international pressure to de-escalate the conflict, his far-right coalition partners have threatened to collapse the government if the war ends prematurely.
“I stayed in the government to make sure that we return to fighting until the full goals of the war are realised – primarily the destruction of Hamas and the release of the hostages,” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said in an interview with Radio 103. “The second I realize that the state of Israel is not going to victory in the Gaza Strip and is going to give up and surrender to a terrorist organisation, I will not only leave the government, I will overthrow it in the fastest way possible.”
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir added on his Telegram channel: “Mr Prime Minister, after Hamas rejected the deal proposal again – there are no more excuses. The confusion, the shuffling and the weakness must end. It is time to go in with full force, without blinking, to destroy and kill Hamas to the last one.”
Humanitarian Crisis Mounts in Gaza
Meanwhile, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) – a U.S.-backed and Israeli-approved private logistics group – expanded its food distribution operations to a third location in Gaza on Thursday. The initiative has faced criticism from the United Nations and other aid organizations for being insufficient and poorly coordinated.
The operation’s launch was marred by violence earlier this week, when Israeli forces opened fire on civilians gathered near an aid site, killing at least one and injuring dozens. The incident further intensified international calls for a lasting ceasefire and increased aid access.
GHF said it has delivered approximately 1.8 million meals and plans to open additional sites in the coming weeks.
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff remained cautiously optimistic, telling reporters on Wednesday: “I have some very good feelings about getting to a long-term resolution, temporary ceasefire and a long-term resolution, a peaceful resolution, of that conflict.”
War Toll and Background
Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken into Gaza, according to Israeli officials.
Since then, Gaza health authorities report more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, and vast swaths of the territory lie in ruins. The humanitarian crisis has escalated sharply, with the UN warning that 2 million people are at risk of famine due to an 11-week Israeli blockade on aid.
Despite mounting international pressure – including from traditionally supportive European governments – Israel remains firm that it will not agree to a lasting ceasefire unless Hamas is disarmed and all hostages are returned.
Whether the current ceasefire proposal will lead to even a temporary halt in hostilities remains to be seen, as both sides continue to weigh the political and military costs of further escalation.
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