Hamas⁣ Responds to Ceasefire Proposal With Key Demands

⁣ Updated June 1, 2025
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Hamas says it has responded favorably to ⁣the latest U.S.‍ ceasefire proposal, but the group is seeking assurances that the war will end and that Israeli forces will fully withdraw from Gaza, according to a top Hamas official.

Basem Naim told Al Jazeera that ‍Hamas ⁤gave a positive response to the proposal delivered‍ by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, ⁤despite it lacking guarantees to end the conflict. Since October 2023, Israeli forces have killed more than 54,000 Palestinians. ⁤A near-total aid blockade imposed as March has created famine-like conditions⁣ in Gaza,where 2.3 million people reside, most displaced by months of intense bombardment.

While international pressure has led to a slight increase in aid entering Gaza, humanitarian organizations describe it as ‍insufficient.

Hamas seeks a pathway to a permanent ceasefire, fearing a ‍repeat of March when Israel unilaterally resumed hostilities and blocked aid. The group also wants a complete withdrawal of Israeli ⁣troops from Gaza and the resumption of aid to the area.

Regarding the release of captives, Hamas wants to stagger it throughout the pause, fearing renewed Israeli attacks upon their release. The group also seeks a ‍defined list of negotiation topics to prevent Israel from derailing talks.

According to Drop Site News, Hamas has also reinstated a provision for handing over governance of Gaza to⁣ an self-reliant technocratic committee, a term⁤ Israel had previously rejected.

Witkoff has described Hamas’s ⁢response as “totally unacceptable,” saying it moves the process “backward.” He ⁢urged Hamas to accept the U.S.framework for talks to achieve a 60-day ceasefire and substantive negotiations toward a permanent resolution.

President Donald Trump ⁣previously stated that a deal was close.

Israel claims to agree with the U.S. proposal for a⁣ 60-day ceasefire.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Israel “backed and supported” the proposal. Prime Minister Benjamin ⁣Netanyahu, however, criticized Hamas’s response, echoing Witkoff’s⁤ sentiment and blaming the group for the‍ impasse.

hamas is wary of past instances where Israel unilaterally broke ceasefires, such as in March when it blocked aid and resumed attacks. Tamer Qarmout, of the Doha ⁣Institute for Graduate Studies, said negotiations lack‍ good faith, with Israel seeking Hamas’s “capitulation and surrender.”

qarmout added, “Hamas is engaged in these negotiations just to try to reduce the horrors of the war, to allow some humanitarian aid to enter and to also look for a dignified exit.”

What’s next

Despite ongoing negotiations, Israeli forces ⁣continue to attack Gaza. Recent strikes on aid distribution ⁤sites in Rafah and near the Netzarim Corridor resulted in at least 31 deaths. Residential areas across Gaza continue to be bombed.