Israel Rejects Proposal Approved by Hamas, Claims It Was Not a US Offer
Occupied Palestine (Quds News Network)- Israel has declared the ceasefire proposal accepted by Hamas is “unacceptable.”
Israeli Channel 13 reported that an Israeli source said the proposal approved by Hamas is not acceptable to Tel Aviv. The channel also quoted other officials who claimed there is no new American offer on the table. According to the report, Hamas likely responded to a separate initiative by Bishara Bahbah rather than to an official US proposal.
Earlier today, Hamas released an official statement confirming it was awaiting a final response to a general framework agreed upon with US envoy Steven Witkoff.
The group said the plan includes a permanent ceasefire, full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, uninterrupted aid delivery, and the formation of a professional body to govern the strip once the deal is announced.
Hamas added that the agreement involves a prisoner exchange: the release of 10 Israeli prisoners and several bodies in exchange for Palestinian detainees, under the supervision of international mediators.
“Hamas is making major efforts to end the barbaric war on Gaza,” the statement read, stressing the importance of the framework reached with Witkoff.
Despite international pressure and growing outrage, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected any deal that doesn’t include a military victory. Speaking in defiance of the International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued against him, Netanyahu said Israel will not release Israeli prisoners without achieving its ‘war goals’.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military continues its genocide in Gaza. On May 18, the army launched a new offensive dubbed “Gideon’s Chariots.”
Netanyahu has declared that Israel’s goal is to fully occupy Gaza. The conflict has already killed tens of thousands and displaced the vast majority of Gaza’s population.
