Hamas rejects US-brokered ceasefire proposal, demanding changes to key areas including the duration of the truce and the extent of Israeli withdrawal. The US envoy calls Hamas's response 'totally unacceptable'.
Hamas has responded to a US-backed ceasefire plan for Gaza, calling it unacceptable and demanding changes. Their counterproposal includes a longer ceasefire, increased humanitarian aid, and a further Israeli troop withdrawal. The US envoy, Steve Witkoff, deemed Hamas's response "totally unacceptable," while Hamas officials claim the US initially agreed to a proposal later altered by Israel. The US proposal involves the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, with negotiations for a permanent ceasefire to follow a 60-day truce. However, the proposal lacks guarantees for a lasting peace, a key Hamas demand. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens, with widespread looting of aid supplies due to the ongoing blockade.
