Hamas Reviews U.S. Ceasefire Proposal Amid Gaza Strikes \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Hamas is reviewing a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal while Israeli airstrikes continue to claim lives in Gaza. The plan, involving a 60-day truce and hostage exchanges, awaits Hamas’ final decision. As negotiations progress, Gaza residents express growing despair amid hunger, death, and destruction.
Quick Looks
- Current Status: Hamas reviewing U.S.-backed ceasefire; Israel already approved
- Proposed Terms: 60-day pause, hostage swaps, humanitarian aid deliveries
- Death Toll: 27 killed in latest Israeli strikes on Friday
- Gaza Humanitarian Crisis: Starvation and overcrowding worsening due to blockade
- Hamas Response: Officials say proposal fails to meet Palestinian demands
- US Involvement: President Trump claims a deal is “very close”
- International Role: Egypt, Qatar, and the UN urge agreement
- Public Sentiment: Gaza residents skeptical, citing past failed ceasefires
Deep Look
Amid relentless violence and humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, Hamas confirmed on Friday that it is still reviewing a U.S.-brokered proposal for a temporary ceasefire, even as Israeli airstrikes continued to claim lives. At least 27 Palestinians were killed on Friday alone, hospital officials reported, in a conflict that shows no sign of abating.
The U.S.-backed plan, already approved by Israel, proposes a 60-day halt in fighting and aims to lay the foundation for a broader truce. However, the initial response from Hamas was tepid. The group’s leadership has signaled dissatisfaction with the proposal’s content, claiming that it fails to meet key Palestinian demands.
President Donald Trump addressed the situation on Friday, stating that negotiators were close to securing a breakthrough. “They’re very close to an agreement on Gaza,” he told reporters in Washington. Later that evening, when pressed on whether he believed Hamas would ultimately approve the deal, he responded, “They’re in a big mess. I think they want to get out of it.”
Though U.S. officials have not publicly disclosed the full terms, details shared by a Hamas official and an Egyptian mediator—both speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks—indicate the plan would pause hostilities for two months, initiate structured negotiations for a long-term agreement, and ensure that hostilities will not resume once hostages are released.
In addition to a cessation of fighting, the proposal includes humanitarian measures aimed at easing Gaza’s deepening crisis. Israeli forces would withdraw to pre-war positions as a gesture of de-escalation. During the 60-day ceasefire, Hamas would release 10 living hostages and return the remains of others. In exchange, Israel would free more than 1,100 Palestinian prisoners, including individuals convicted of attacks resulting in fatalities.
The proposal also allows for increased humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza, where a three-month blockade—though recently loosened—has pushed the civilian population to the brink of famine. Hundreds of trucks carrying food, medicine, and fuel would be permitted to enter daily under the deal. Humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned that starvation is being used as a weapon of war.
Despite the mounting pressure, Hamas remains cautious. A brief statement issued Friday confirmed the group is still consulting with other Palestinian factions regarding the offer presented by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. The United Nations, meanwhile, urged urgency. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric implored both sides to “find the political courage” to bring about a lasting ceasefire and end the violence.
Qatar’s ambassador to the United Nations, Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani, emphasized the international community’s continued involvement. “Negotiations are ongoing on the current proposal,” she said. “We are very determined to find an ending to this horrific situation in Gaza.”
Nevertheless, the sentiment from Hamas officials remains grim. On Thursday, senior Hamas member Bassem Naim told reporters that the proposed truce “does not respond to any of our people’s demands, foremost among which is stopping the war and famine.” The organization has long insisted that any truce must include a permanent cessation of hostilities and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
While diplomacy stalls, the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate. Friday’s Israeli airstrikes struck civilian areas, including a tent shelter in the southern city of Khan Younis, where 13 people—eight of them children—were killed. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incident. Elsewhere, 12 bodies were retrieved from the Jabaliya refugee camp and brought to Shifa Hospital, and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported two more casualties brought into a Gaza City hospital.
Hospital officials also said Friday that at least 72 people had died the day before, though the true death toll may be higher, as medical facilities in northern Gaza remain largely unreachable due to ongoing fighting. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, over 54,000 people—mostly women and children—have died since the conflict began in October 2023. The ministry’s figures do not differentiate between civilians and fighters.
The war erupted after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and capturing approximately 250 hostages. Israel responded with a massive military campaign, aiming to dismantle Hamas’ infrastructure and rescue the captives. Israeli officials now believe that at least 35 hostages still in Gaza are dead. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said there are “doubts” about the fate of several others.
Amid the uncertainty of diplomatic efforts and the relentless toll of the conflict, many Gaza residents are left clinging to hope, increasingly tempered by disappointment. For them, the war has become a grim constant, bringing not only death but starvation and social collapse.
“This is the war of starvation, death, siege and long lines for food and toilets,” said Mohammed Abed, speaking from Deir al-Balah. “This war is the 2025 nightmare, 2024 nightmare, and 2023 nightmare.” He described waiting hours to get a small serving of rice and surviving on just one meal per day. “It’s heartbreaking that people are being starved because of politics,” he said. “Food and water should not be used for political purposes.”
Another resident, Mohammed Mreil, voiced a universal desire amid the chaos: “We want to live, and we want them [Israelis] to live. God did not create us to die.”
With global pressure mounting and the humanitarian crisis worsening by the day, the coming days will be crucial. Whether this latest ceasefire proposal becomes a lifeline or just another broken promise will depend on the willingness of all parties—Hamas, Israel, and the mediators—to overcome deep mistrust and political inertia.
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