CNN
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Hamas on Saturday responded to the US proposed ceasefire plan in Gaza, ending the war, saying that US Middle Eastern envoy Steve Witkoff is called “completely unacceptable.”
In a statement, Hamas said the mediator (“proposed” to Qatar and Egypt” “is aiming to ensure a flow of assistance to the people and families of the Gaza Strip, aiming to provide a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.”
“As part of this agreement, the 10 living Israeli prisoners held by resistance will be released in addition to the return of 18 bodies in exchange for the agreed number of Palestinian prisoners,” the statement said.
This comes after Hamas officials told CNN earlier this week that the group sent back three extended counter-proposed proposals and demanded assurances that negotiations over a permanent ceasefire would continue and combat would not resume after a suspension. The humanitarian assistance will be provided through the United Nations. And the IDF will be redirected to the position it held on March 2nd.
Witkov said in a post on X on Saturday that he received Hamas’ response, calling it “totally unacceptable” and wrote that it “just brings us backwards.”
“Hamas should accept the proposed framework proposal as a basis for proximity consultations, which can be started immediately this week,” Witkoff continued.
Israeli officials told CNN on Saturday that they saw the militant group’s latest response “effectively rejected the latest Witkoff proposal and proposed a new offer on its own terms.”
On the same day, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office repeated Witkov’s response to Hamas’ reaction, saying, “Israel agreed to Witkov’s overview, which was updated for the release of our hostages, but Hamas continues to stick to rejection.”
“Israel will continue its actions to revive the hostages and to Hamas’ defeat,” the statement said.
The proposal, backed by the US and approved by Israel on Friday, CNN saw Hamas released 10 Israeli hostages and 18 dead hostages in exchange for 125 Palestinian prisoners who had been in custody since the fight was made by 1,111 Gaza.
According to the US proposal, negotiations for a permanent ceasefire will begin immediately on the first day of the 60-day ceasefire. According to the proposal, the terms of the contract also allow humanitarian assistance to enter Gaza “quickly” and be distributed through “agreed channels” through agreed channels including the United Nations and Red Crescent.
However, the draft contract did not include the lasting end of the war, the major Hamas demands, and essential assurances that guaranteed that the ceasefire would be extended as long as negotiations continued. Instead, US President Donald Trump said he is “working to ensure that sincere negotiations continue until a final agreement is reached.”
Hamas initially made a statement of resistance to accepting the terms of the transaction. Hamas Politburo member Bassem Naim said on Thursday on Facebook that the framework “did not respond to any of our people’s requests,” but that the debate was still underway.
The front and back of Israel and Hamas comes as the hunger situation worsens in the Gaza Strip.
Israel’s 11-week humanitarian blockade has led to the enclave’s population facing starvation. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, it was lifted last week, but many of the small aid that has entered the strip have since been looted, killing several people after chaos broke out near the aid distribution site.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said about 80 aid trucks travelling south and central Gaza on Saturday had been looted by hopeless civilians.
In a statement issued in X, WFP said 77 trucks had crossed into Gaza, loaded with flour. They all “were stopped halfway through and filmed foods that were primarily hungry people trying to feed their families.”
“Eighty days after the entire lockdown, the community is hungry, and they are no longer willing to pass through food,” he added.
This story has been updated in development.
