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Hamas Rejects Israeli Ceasefire Proposal as Gaza Hostilities Persist
Amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure a truce, Hamas has reportedly rejected an Israeli proposal for a six-week ceasefire in Gaza. This offer purportedly required the armed group to relinquish its weaponry, a condition deemed unacceptable by Hamas.
Key Demands Unmet in Israeli Offer
A high-ranking Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations stated that the Israeli plan failed to include any commitment to ending the conflict or facilitating a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. These stipulations are core demands for Hamas, considered essential in exchange for releasing approximately half of the living hostages in their custody.
Continued Military Operations and Casualties
The rejection of the proposal coincides with Israel’s sustained military offensive within the Gaza Strip. Recent reports indicate a security guard was killed and nine others sustained injuries in an air strike targeting a field hospital in Khan Younis. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that the strike targeted a leader of a Hamas cell.
Worsening Humanitarian Situation
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is escalating, with a UN agency issuing warnings that conditions are potentially the most dire in 18 months. Crucially, it has been over six weeks since Israel permitted essential supplies to enter Gaza, marking the longest such obstruction to date.
- Supply Blockade: UN agencies strongly contest Israeli assertions of adequate food reserves within Gaza.
- International Law Concerns: The ongoing blockade raises concerns about potential violations of international humanitarian law.
Israel’s Prime Minister has stated the supply restrictions are intended to exert pressure on Hamas to release hostages and extend the ceasefire that concluded on March 1st.
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Meanwhile, the UN humanitarian affairs office reports a “surge in attacks causing mass civilian casualties and the destruction of crucial infrastructure,” further exacerbating the crisis.
Negotiation Details and Stumbling Blocks
Israel reportedly presented its latest ceasefire proposal to regional mediators late last week, shortly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington. Subsequently, a Hamas delegation, led by chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, convened with Egyptian intelligence officials in Cairo.
The senior Palestinian official disclosed to the BBC that “the Israeli proposal explicitly demanded the disarmament of Hamas, without any reciprocal Israeli commitment to end the war or withdraw from Gaza. Consequently, Hamas rejected the offer entirely.”
This marks a significant point of contention, as it is understood to be the first instance of Israel formally demanding Hamas disarmament as a precondition for a ceasefire, a red line for the group.
The Palestinian official further accused Israel of employing delaying tactics, focused primarily on hostage retrieval while perpetuating the conflict.
Current estimates suggest 59 hostages remain in Gaza, with 24 believed to be alive.
Conflicting Claims and Hostage Status
On Tuesday, a spokesman for Hamas’s military wing announced they had “lost contact” with a group of fighters holding Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, citing a “direct strike on their location.”
However, Abu Ubaida did not provide corroborating evidence for this assertion, nor specify when this contact was lost. Israel maintains it avoids targeting locations believed to house hostages.
Prior to this, Hamas disseminated a video of the 21-year-old soldier on Saturday, where he appeared to speak under duress, criticizing the Israeli government.
Public Opinion and Hostage Release
Recent polls in Israel indicate that a majority of the Israeli populace supports a new Gaza ceasefire agreement and the return of hostages.
Released hostages have recounted being held in precarious underground conditions, with some suffering from poor health and untreated injuries.
Hamas has declared its willingness to return all captives in exchange for a complete cessation of hostilities and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
They had previously proposed releasing five hostages for a truce extension and claim to have demonstrated flexibility regarding the number of hostages for release.
Ongoing Mediation Efforts and Outlook
Sources indicate that Egypt has presented a modified proposal to Hamas, which is currently under consideration.
Israeli media outlets had not been forecasting an imminent breakthrough in ceasefire negotiations.
The newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth quoted a senior Israeli security official stating, “We assess that a deal will be reached within two to three weeks, but significant gaps and substantial distance remain at present.”
The official continued, “Our objective is to secure the release of 19 living hostages. Israel and the United States are coordinating, and military pressure is exerting influence.”
“They face shortages of gas, and food and fuel reserves will deplete in a few weeks. The significant achievement of residents returning to northern Gaza has been reversed. Resident pressure is mounting, which has unsettled them.”
Israel resumed its bombardment of Gaza on March 18th and subsequently recommenced ground operations, citing Hamas as the target. The Prime Minister has stated that future ceasefire discussions will occur “under fire.”
Casualty Figures and Conflict Duration
Since the resumption of Israel’s offensive in Gaza, at least 1,630 individuals have been killed. This brings the total death toll over 18 months of conflict to 51,000, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry.
Israel reports that approximately 1,200 individuals were killed and 251 taken hostage during the Hamas-led attacks on October 7th, which initiated the current conflict.
Hospital Strike Incident
On Tuesday morning, Israeli warplanes struck near the Kuwaiti Field Hospital in al-Mawasi, a densely populated area housing displaced individuals on the coast near Khan Younis in southern Gaza, according to hospital spokesman Saber Abu Arar.
The deceased individual was a hospital employee, and those injured included both hospital staff and patients. Three ambulances and some reception tents sustained damage.
Graphic footage released by the field hospital on Facebook depicted a bloodied man receiving resuscitation attempts.
The IDF issued a statement asserting they “struck the head of a Hamas terrorist cell and a combat zone commander” outside the hospital, without providing supporting evidence.
They further claimed a “precise munition” was used to minimize collateral damage.
This incident follows UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ expression of “deep alarm” regarding Sunday’s strike on al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City.
Israel stated it targeted a building within that hospital complex, alleging Hamas used it as a “command-and-control center,” a claim Hamas denies.
Doctors at al-Ahli Arab Hospital reported a rushed evacuation, stating they received a mere 20-minute warning from the IDF. Tragically, a 12-year-old boy undergoing treatment for head injuries reportedly died due to the disruption of his care.
The al-Ahli Arab Hospital, previously the most functional in northern Gaza, is now out of service and unable to admit new patients.
The UN Secretary-General’s spokesman emphasized that “under international humanitarian law, wounded and sick persons, medical personnel, and medical facilities, including hospitals, must be respected and protected.”
He added that the attack constitutes “a severe blow to an already devastated healthcare system in the strip,” warning that with aid blockages, medical supplies, along with food and water, are dwindling.
Displacement Crisis and Civilian Impact
The UN Secretary General underscored that under international humanitarian law, an occupying power bears obligations to ensure aid for the civilian population.
Recent Israeli military evacuation orders have resulted in widespread displacement among Gaza’s 2.1 million residents.
The UN reports that approximately 70% of the Gaza Strip is currently under evacuation orders or designated as “no-go” zones, requiring humanitarian teams to coordinate movements with Israeli authorities.
Israeli Public Opinion and Political Dynamics
In Israel, polls indicate majority support for a Gaza ceasefire agreement. Public opinion prioritizes the return of hostages over dismantling Hamas’ governing and military capabilities as stated war objectives.
However, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government relies on support from hard-line religious ultranationalist parties, who have threatened to destabilize the government if he ends the war.
Israel entered a ceasefire agreement in January, resulting in the release of 33 hostages (25 alive) in exchange for approximately 1,800 Palestinian prisoners during the initial six-week phase.
Subsequently, Israel largely declined to engage in discussions regarding the planned second phase, which was intended to lead to a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and a full cessation of hostilities.
Reservist Discontent and War Priorities
In recent weeks, Israeli military reservists and veterans have issued multiple open letters condemning the ongoing conflict and questioning its strategic priorities.
Criticism has also arisen concerning the IDF’s chief of staff and air force commander for dismissing air force reservists who signed an initial statement of dissent.
This coincides with increasing frustration among reservists and their families regarding the burden of prolonged reserve duty, coupled with the government’s failure to draft ultra-Orthodox Jews despite IDF combat soldier shortages.