A senior official from Hamas has informed the BBC that the Islamist group is poised to reject the new US proposal for a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.
Ceasefire discussions aimed at concluding a conflict that has now dragged into its 602nd day have yet to yield results. The White House announced on Thursday that Israel had given the green light to the plan proposed by US envoy Stiv Whitcoff, and a formal response from Hamas is pending.
Israeli media, citing government sources, reported that the plan stipulates the release of 10 living hostages by Hamas, along with the return of the remains of 18 deceased individuals, in two phases. In exchange, there would be a 60-day ceasefire and the release of Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons. Should the two sides reach an agreement to end the war during this ceasefire, the remaining hostages in Gaza would also be freed. Additionally, the proposal includes the resumption of humanitarian aid distribution in the Palestinian enclave by the United Nations and various international aid organizations.
The Hamas official stated that the proposal fails to address essential demands of the group, such as a permanent cessation of hostilities, and affirmed that a response would be forthcoming “in due course.”
While the Israeli government has not made an official statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly assured hostage families on Thursday that he supports the Whitcoff plan.
Notably, one of Hamas’ exiled leaders, Bassem Naim, told Agence France-Presse last night that the US proposal does not fulfill the group’s requirements, arguing that it essentially “perpetuates the occupation, ongoing violence, and starvation.”
“This proposal does not address any of the needs of our people, particularly the desire to end the war and alleviate hunger,” Bassem Naim emphasized, mentioning that the Hamas leadership is weighing its response.
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