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By Tom O'Connor
Deputy Editor, National Security and Foreign Policy
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A senior Hamas official has criticized Israel's response to a new ceasefire proposal issued by the United States as the group and its allies mull the latest attempt to bring a temporary halt to the nearly 20-month war.
In a statement shared with Newsweek, Hamas Political Bureau member and spokesperson Basem Naim confirmed that the group has received the latest framework proposed last week by U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East special envoy, Steve Witkoff.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has the proposal, a development confirmed by the White House on Thursday. However, Naim argued that the Israeli position served to perpetuate, rather than resolve, the conflict.
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"Upon careful examination, it is clear that the Israeli response fundamentally seeks to entrench the occupation and perpetuate policies of killing and starvation, even during what is supposed to be a period of temporary de-escalation," Naim said.
"The response fails to meet any of the just and legitimate demands of our people," he added, "among them an immediate cessation of hostilities and an end to the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza."
Still, he said, the group was seriously considering the deal.
"Despite this, and in full awareness of the gravity of the ongoing genocide against our people, Hamas leadership is currently undertaking a thorough and responsible review of the new proposal," Naim said.
"This evaluation is guided by a deep sense of national responsibility and a steadfast commitment to protecting the rights and the future of Palestinian people on his land," he added.
Shortly afterward, Hamas said in a statement that it was "consulting with Palestinian factions and forces regarding the ceasefire proposal it recently received from Mr. Witkoff through mediators."
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What's on the Table
The draft proposal, a copy of which was obtained by Newsweek, is the latest attempt to pause the fighting in what has emerged as the deadliest-ever episode of the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The war was sparked by an October 2023 attack led by Hamas and allied Palestinian factions against Israel, resulting in the deaths of around 1,200 people and the abduction of 251. Today, around 58 people, fewer than half of whom are believed to still be alive, remain captive in Gaza.
Meanwhile, over 54,000 people have died in Gaza, according to the Hamas-led Palestinian Health Ministry in the war-torn territory, amid Israel's subsequent military campaign. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has assessed that up to 20,000 Hamas fighters have been killed, while recording more than 400 deaths among its own ranks.
The new U.S. proposal to pause the conflict entails a 60-day ceasefire, during which Trump would guarantee Israel's commitment to not launching hostilities. Hamas would release 10 living Israeli hostages and 18 deceased hostages in two transfers divided between the first and seventh day of the agreement, while Israel would release 1,236 individuals held in Israeli prisons and 180 bodies.
On the 10th day of the ceasefire, both sides would provide up-to-date information on the condition of those being held by the respective sides.
Israel would also halt military and aerial reconnaissance activity over Gaza for 10 hours each day, and up to 12 hours on the days in which hostages and prisoners were exchanged. Israeli troops would conduct a redeployment in the Netzarim Corridor and northern Gaza, and the flow of humanitarian assistance from the United Nations and Red Crescent would resume through mutually agreed channels.
The agreement also calls for the immediate launch of follow-up negotiations toward securing a permanent ceasefire as well as the release of all remaining hostages, living and dead. The deal allows for an extension of the temporary ceasefire if a new agreement is not reached within 60 days.
White House Press Secretary Carolin Leavitt told reporters Thursday that Israel had accepted the terms of the agreement before it was sent to Hamas. She said at the time that "those discussions are continuing, and we hope that a ceasefire in Gaza will take place so we can return all of the hostages home, and that's been a priority from this administration from the beginning."
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told a press briefing that same day that the latest developments have "some significant promise," and that "there is some optimism" toward a breakthrough.
No Guarantees
While the deal does open the door for follow-up negotiations toward a lasting end to the war, as well as a commitment from Trump to ensure Israel will not launch attacks during the truce period, the terms fall short of what Hamas officials have called for, namely a U.S. guarantee that Israel would not resume operations as soon as the ceasefire ends.
Israel renewed operations in March after talks toward extending a first-phase agreement reached in January failed to progress. In recent weeks, as negotiations played out in the Qatari capital of Doha, Israeli forces intensified operations as part of a new phase of the war.
In an interview Thursday with Yemen's Al-Masirah outlet, affiliated with the Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri referred to Israel's response to the deal as a "bad formula," given that it would allow Israel to once again resume its offensive.
Netanyahu has repeatedly affirmed that he would not conclude the war until his three objectives were achieved. These include inflicting a decisive defeat on Hamas, neutralizing future threats posed to Israel from Gaza and securing the return of all hostages still held by the group.
In a statement issued Friday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that "the IDF continues its activity in Gaza with full force, striking and dismantling Hamas outposts, while evacuating the local population from every combat zone and attacking the area from the air, land and sea on an unprecedented scale for maximum protection of our soldiers in preparation for the entry of the forces maneuvering in each area and during the maneuver."
"We are committed first and foremost to the protection of our heroic soldiers, both regular and reserve, more than any other consideration," he added. "After eliminating the terrorists and clearing the area, the IDF eliminates any threat according to the Rafah model—and remains to hold the place."
Katz argued that this approach would allow Israel to "achieve the goals of the war" and push Hamas towards an ultimatum.
"The Hamas murderers will now be forced to choose: accept the terms of the 'Witkoff Deal' for the release of the hostages - or be destroyed," Katz said.
The IDF has continued operations as Hamas and its allies studied the ceasefire proposal, announcing Friday that the Israeli Air Force (IAF) had "eliminated the terrorist cell" responsible for a rocket-propelled grenade attack that injured three Israeli soldiers.
"Over the past day, the IAF struck dozens of targets throughout the Gaza Strip, including, terrorists, military sites, observation and sniping posts that posed a threat to the troops in the area, underground infrastructure, and additional terrorist infrastructure," the IDF said. "IDF troops are continuing to operate against the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip in order to protect Israeli civilians."
Palestinian factions also continue to claim operations. On the same day as the attack injuring Israeli troops, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, widely considered to be the second most powerful group in the territory after Hamas, announced a deadly rocket strike on Israeli forces in Khan Younis.
Other Stakeholders
While Hamas remains by far the largest and most powerful group in Gaza, having seized control of the territory after a violent rift with the Palestinian National Authority's leading Fatah faction in 2007, other groups continue to wield influence and have contributed to operations.
In addition to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, other notable groups include the Popular Resistance Committees, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades and the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement.
Like Hamas, each of these groups commands an armed wing. And despite their widely varying ideologies, they have increasingly cooperated with one another as resources thin throughout the war.
As intra-Palestinian consultations take place amid ongoing clashes with the IDF, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine issued a statement Friday highlighting the risks posed to the people of Gaza if Hamas failed to achieve an agreement, while blaming Israel and the U.S. for the deadlock.
"In light of the stalemate in the ongoing negotiations with the U.S. administration to halt the brutal aggression against the Gaza Strip—due to Washington's clear bias toward the Israeli position and its insistence on continuing the genocidal war—we in the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine are fully confident that our brothers in the leadership of Hamas are well aware of the grave dangers our people face if an immediate ceasefire is not achieved," the DFLP said in a statement
The group urged Hamas to double down on efforts to reach a deal, even if temporary.
"Therefore, we reiterate our call on the brothers in the Hamas leadership to intensify efforts, in cooperation with the Arab mediators, to reach an agreement to halt the aggression—even if only for 60 days," the DFLP statement said.
Such a period, according to DFLP, "would be sufficient to allow space for regional and international initiatives and movements to evolve in a way that supports the achievement of national goals, goals underpinned by the legendary steadfastness of our people in their fight to stop the aggression."
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