By Tom Ozimek
President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East has dismissed the Hamas response to a U.S.-backed Gaza cease-fire proposal as “totally unacceptable” and a step backward in efforts to end the war, after the terror group said it wanted to revise key terms of the deal, including the timing of hostage releases and Israeli withdrawals.
In a statement issued on May 31, envoy Steve Witkoff urged Hamas to accept the current framework as the basis for immediate talks that could lead to a 60-day pause in fighting and the return of hostages—both living and dead.
“Hamas should accept the framework proposal we put forward as the basis for proximity talks, which we can begin immediately this coming week,” Witkoff said in the statement. “That is the only way we can close a 60-day ceasefire deal in the coming days in which half of the living hostages and half of those who are deceased will come home to their families.”
Hamas confirmed in a statement posted on its Telegram channel on Saturday that it had delivered a formal response to the U.S. proposal, which Israeli officials had already approved. However, Hamas said its counterproposal seeks a permanent cease-fire, a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and unimpeded humanitarian aid access. The group also said the agreement would involve the release of 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 more, in exchange for “an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners.”
A senior Hamas official told the Associated Press that the group’s reply included “notes and amendments,” particularly regarding U.S. guarantees, the sequencing of hostage and prisoner exchanges, aid delivery logistics, and Israeli troop redeployments. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks.
The full contents of the U.S. proposal have not been made public.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Thursday that Israel had “signed off” on the proposal before it was sent to Hamas. “Those discussions are continuing, and we hope that a cease-fire in Gaza will take place so we can return all of the hostages home,” she said.
Trump, speaking to reporters in Washington on Friday, expressed optimism. “They’re very close to an agreement on Gaza,” he told reporters. “They’re in a big mess. I think they want to get out of it.”
The proposed agreement comes after a previous temporary truce collapsed in March. Since then, Israel has renewed its ground and air operations across the Gaza Strip, and aid access has been restricted, with Israel accusing Hamas of stealing the aid and selling it to fund its military operations.
The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led terrorists launched a surprise cross-border attack on southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and abducting 251 hostages. About half of those hostages have been released in previous deals or cease-fires, while others were rescued or confirmed dead. Israeli officials say 58 remain in Gaza, with about a third believed to be alive.
According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023—figures that have not been independently verified and do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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