Hamas Responds to US Ceasefire Plan, Agrees to Free 10 Hostages/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Hamas has responded to the U.S.-led ceasefire plan for Gaza, requesting changes involving aid delivery, hostage release timing, and Israeli troop withdrawal. The proposal includes a 60-day pause and prisoner exchanges. Meanwhile, Gaza faces worsening hunger, chaotic aid distribution, and continued Israeli airstrikes.
Gaza Ceasefire Talks: Quick Looks
- Hamas Responds: Seeks revisions to U.S. ceasefire plan, citing issues with aid access and hostages
- Ceasefire Plan: 60-day truce, hostage-prisoner exchange, and increased humanitarian aid
- Hostage Deal: 10 living hostages and 18 bodies in exchange for Palestinian prisoners
- Aid Chaos: Desperate Gazans block, raid UN food trucks amid famine fears
- Humanitarian Crisis: WFP reports 77 aid trucks intercepted by civilians in Gaza
- Security Issues: Gangs and lack of safe routes hinder UN aid distribution
- Ongoing Strikes: Israeli military strikes kill at least 60 Palestinians in 24 hours
- New Aid Model: Gaza Humanitarian Foundation begins armed aid delivery, drawing criticism
- War Toll: Over 54,000 Gazans killed since October 2023; 1,200 Israelis killed on Oct. 7
- Negotiation Climate: Egypt, U.S. involved; Netanyahu signals doubts about some hostages’ fates
Deep Look: Hamas Calls for Changes to U.S. Gaza Ceasefire Deal as Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
By SAM MEDNICK and SAMY MAGDY | AP – May 31, 2025
TEL AVIV, ISRAEL — Hamas has formally responded to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire proposal aimed at halting nearly 20 months of fighting in Gaza. While signaling potential agreement, the Palestinian group is demanding key amendments, particularly related to humanitarian aid flow, hostage release timelines, and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops.
“There are some notes and amendments to some points,” a senior Hamas official told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, citing the ongoing sensitivity of the negotiations.
A separate Hamas statement outlined that the proposed ceasefire framework would include a permanent cessation of hostilities, full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, and unrestricted aid access. In return, Hamas would release 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 others in exchange for a to-be-determined number of Palestinian prisoners.
Israeli officials, meanwhile, have reportedly approved the temporary ceasefire framework, which would implement a 60-day pause in fighting, during which hostages and aid would flow into Gaza. The U.S., under President Donald Trump, has been pushing for a deal, with Trump stating negotiations are close to a breakthrough.
Desperation Mounts in Gaza as Aid Trucks Raided
As talks continue, the situation inside Gaza grows increasingly desperate. On Saturday, the World Food Program (WFP) reported that 77 aid trucks were blocked and looted by civilians, largely due to fears that food supplies are too scarce to wait for organized distribution.
“Aid must come faster, in higher volumes,” the WFP said. “We need to flood communities with food for the next few days to calm anxieties and rebuild trust.”
In southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, a witness described a scene of chaos as thousands of people stopped a U.N. convoy, forming a human blockade and forcibly unloading bags of flour and other essentials. The witness, fearing retaliation, spoke anonymously.
The nearly three-month Israeli blockade has put over 2 million people on the brink of famine. Although more aid has entered in recent days, humanitarian groups say it remains far below the level needed to prevent widespread hunger.
UN: Insecurity, Gangs Obstruct Aid Delivery
Compounding the crisis, internal U.N. documents obtained by the AP detail multiple recent security incidents, including four cases of aid facility looting in just three days. The U.N. says Israeli military restrictions force them to use unsecured routes, making convoys vulnerable to armed gangs and looters.
On Friday, only five trucks of aid successfully crossed into Gaza at Kerem Shalom, while 60 others had to turn back due to ongoing hostilities. Aid officials have urged both Israel and Hamas to create secure corridors for distribution.
A New—and Controversial—Aid Channel Emerges
This week also saw the operational launch of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a new U.S.- and Israeli-backed aid organization meant to replace the traditional U.N.-led relief system.
The GHF is operating food distribution points guarded by armed contractors, which officials say is necessary for security. Critics, however, warn this move militarizes aid and sidesteps established humanitarian norms.
Israel has long accused Hamas of diverting aid, a claim the U.N. disputes. Israeli officials insist GHF will reduce theft and improve reliability.
Strikes Continue: 60 Killed in 24 Hours
Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, Israeli military operations in Gaza continue. The Gaza Health Ministry reports that at least 60 Palestinians have been killed in the past 24 hours by Israeli airstrikes.
Among the dead were:
- Three civilians killed early Saturday in Rafah
- A family of three, including a child, in Gaza City
- Four killed in another vehicle strike in the city
- Six killed in Khan Younis when a tent sheltering displaced persons was struck
The health ministry says over 54,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have died since the war began. The ministry does not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
The war started on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise assault that killed 1,200 Israelis and took 250 hostages. Of those, 58 hostages remain in Gaza. Israel believes 35 of them are dead, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said “doubts” remain about others’ fates.
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