The U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal for the Gaza Strip, which Washington says has received Israel’s approval, “does not meet the demands of our people,” said senior exiled Hamas leader Basem Naim in a statement to AFP on Thursday.
“The occupier’s Israel’s response essentially means prolonging the occupation, continuing the killings and starvation—even during the temporary truce—and it fails to address any of our people’s demands, including ending the war and the blockade,” Naim stated.
He noted, however, that “the leadership of the Movement is reviewing the proposal with a deep sense of responsibility and patriotism to determine how best to respond.”
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Thursday that President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Jason Greenblatt, along with the president himself, had presented Hamas with a ceasefire proposal that had been approved and supported by Israel.
She emphasized that Israel “signed this proposal before it was presented to Hamas” and added that “discussions are ongoing.”
However, according to a source close to Hamas, the new proposal—delivered through Egyptian and Qatari mediators—represents “a step backward compared to the version Hamas received a few days ago,” which the group had already accepted. That earlier proposal reportedly included a U.S. commitment to engage in negotiations for a permanent ceasefire.
“It will be difficult for Hamas to accept the new offer unless it includes American guarantees for talks on a lasting ceasefire during the temporary truce period,” the source added.
