Hamas has announced its willingness to immediately begin fresh indirect negotiations on a Gaza ceasefire deal, just one day after submitting a response to US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff’s proposal that Washington dismissed as “totally unacceptable.”
The militant group said yesterday that it remains committed to reaching an agreement that “ensures relief for our people and an end to the humanitarian catastrophe, ultimately leading to a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of the occupation forces.” However, Hamas did not indicate whether it had rescinded or revised the Saturday proposal that prompted the harsh US rebuke.
The renewed diplomatic push comes as mediators pressure Hamas to soften its stance on key sticking points that have repeatedly derailed ceasefire negotiations. According to sources familiar with the talks, Witkoff’s latest framework proposal calls for Hamas to release 10 living Israeli hostages and return the bodies of 18 deceased captives during a 60-day ceasefire period.
Hamas has demanded guarantees for a pathway to a permanent ceasefire rather than accepting a temporary pause that could allow Israel to unilaterally restart military operations, as occurred in previous agreements. The group also insists on the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the resumption of humanitarian aid to the besieged territory.
Central to Hamas’s concerns is the timeline for hostage releases. While Witkoff’s proposal reportedly requires all releases within the first week of the 60-day pause, Hamas fears Israel would resume bombing immediately after recovering its captives. The group has countered by proposing to stagger releases throughout the entire ceasefire period as a safeguard against renewed hostilities.
Hamas has also called for predetermined negotiation topics to prevent what it characterises as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pattern of adding last-minute provisions that critics say are designed to derail talks and prolong the conflict.
Witkoff acknowledged Saturday that the Hamas response ‘takes us backwards,’ revealing for the first time publicly that his proposal was intended as a framework for upcoming ‘proximity talks’ rather than a final agreement. This clarification came after President Trump had suggested Friday that a deal announcement could come within days.
Meanwhile, more than 30 people were killed and dozens injured near a food aid distribution centre in the Gaza Strip yesterday. According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, the incident took place near an aid site in Rafah operated by an Israel-backed organisation. Witnesses told the Associated Press that the victims were on their way to receive food when they came under fire roughly 1,000 yards from the centre.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported that 21 people were declared dead on arrival at one of its field hospitals, with 179 others wounded, including women and children. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which also responded to the incident, said the blood bank at Nasser Hospital was nearly depleted, prompting medical staff to donate blood themselves to treat the injured.
The Israeli military has denied its involvement, stating in a preliminary inquiry that its forces did not fire on civilians near or within the distribution site.