Hamas official says it rejects new US Gaza ceasefire plan backed by Israel

[ad_1] Rushdi Abualouf Gaza correspondent

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/ea8f/live/873b7210-3ce6-11f0-b6e6-4ddb91039da1.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/ea8f/live/873b7210-3ce6-11f0-b6e6-4ddb91039da1.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/ea8f/live/873b7210-3ce6-11f0-b6e6-4ddb91039da1.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/ea8f/live/873b7210-3ce6-11f0-b6e6-4ddb91039da1.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/ea8f/live/873b7210-3ce6-11f0-b6e6-4ddb91039da1.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/ea8f/live/873b7210-3ce6-11f0-b6e6-4ddb91039da1.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/ea8f/live/873b7210-3ce6-11f0-b6e6-4ddb91039da1.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/ea8f/live/873b7210-3ce6-11f0-b6e6-4ddb91039da1.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="Reuters Smoke rises from Gaza after an explosion, as seen from Israel (29 May 2025). " class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Reuters Israel resumed its navy offensive towards Hamas in Gaza in mid-March following the collapse of a two-month ceasefire

A senior Hamas official has instructed the BBC the Palestinian armed group will reject the newest US proposal for a brand new Gaza ceasefire and hostage launch deal.

The White Home stated on Thursday that Israel had "signed off" on US envoy Steve Witkoff's plan and that it was ready for a proper response from Hamas.

Israeli media cited Israeli officers as saying it will see Hamas hand over 10 dwelling hostages and the our bodies of 18 lifeless hostages in two phases in trade for a 60-day ceasefire and the discharge of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

The Hamas official stated the proposal didn't fulfill core calls for, together with an finish to the battle, and that it will reply sooner or later.

The Israeli authorities has not commented, however Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly instructed hostages' households on Thursday that he accepted Witkoff's plan.

Israel imposed a complete blockade on Gaza and resumed its navy offensive towards Hamas on 18 March following the collapse of a two-month ceasefire brokered by the US, Qatar and Egypt.

It stated it wished to place stress on Hamas to launch the 58 hostages it's nonetheless holding, at the least 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

On 19 Could, the Israeli navy launched an expanded offensive that Netanyahu stated would see troops "take management of all areas" of Gaza. The subsequent day, he stated Israel would additionally ease the blockade and permit a "primary" quantity of meals into Gaza to forestall a famine.

Nearly 4,000 folks have been killed in Gaza over the previous 10 weeks, based on the territory's Hamas-run well being ministry.

The UN says one other 600,000 folks have been displaced once more by Israeli floor operations and evacuation orders, and a report by the UN-backed IPC warns that about 500,000 folks face catastrophic ranges of starvation within the coming months.

At a information convention in Washington DC on Thursday, White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was requested whether or not she might verify a report by Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV that Israel and Hamas had agreed a brand new ceasefire deal.

"I can verify that Particular Envoy Witkoff and the president submitted a ceasefire proposal to Hamas that Israel backed and supported. Israel signed off on this proposal earlier than it was despatched to Hamas," she stated.

"I may also verify that these discussions are persevering with, and we hope {that a} ceasefire in Gaza will happen so we will return all the hostages house," she added.

Nonetheless, a senior Hamas official later stated the deal contradicted earlier discussions between the group's negotiators and Witkoff.

The official instructed the BBC that the supply didn't embody ensures the short-term truce would result in a everlasting ceasefire, nor a return to the humanitarian protocol that allowed a whole lot of vehicles of support into Gaza every day over the last ceasefire.

However, he stated Hamas remained involved with the mediators and would submit its written response sooner or later.

'World has duty to get support into Gaza', UN official tells BBC

Earlier, Israel's Channel 12 TV reported the Netanyahu instructed hostages' households at a gathering: "We agree to just accept the newest Witkoff plan that was conveyed to us tonight. Hamas has not but responded. We don't consider Hamas will launch the final hostage, and we won't depart the Strip till all of the hostages are in our arms."

His workplace later issued an announcement accusing one of many channel's reporters of attempting to "smuggle" a recording gadget into the room the place the assembly passed off. However it didn't deny that he had agreed to the US proposal.

Netanyahu has beforehand stated that Israel will finish the battle solely when all of the hostages are launched, Hamas is both destroyed or disarmed, and its leaders have been despatched into exile.

Hamas has stated it is able to return all of these held captive, in trade for an entire finish to hostilities and full Israeli pull-out from Gaza.

Israel launched a navy marketing campaign in Gaza in response Hamas' cross-border assault on 7 October 2023, by which about 1,200 folks have been killed and 251 others have been taken hostage.

One other 4 folks, two of them lifeless, have been already being held captive in Gaza earlier than the battle.

Up to now, Israel has secured the return of 197 hostages, 148 of them alive, principally by two short-term ceasefire offers with Hamas.

No less than 54,249 folks have been killed in Gaza through the battle, together with 3,986 since Israel resumed its offensive, based on the territory's well being ministry.

On Thursday, at the least 54 folks have been killed by Israeli strikes throughout Gaza, based on the Hamas-run Civil Defence company. They included 23 individuals who died when a house within the central Bureij space was hit, it stated.