Gaza ceasefire uncertain as Hamas rejects US proposal

The likelihood of a ceasefire in Gaza appeared tenuous on 30th May, with Hamas voicing strong objections to a US-backed truce proposal, which the group described as “biased” and inadequate in addressing the humanitarian catastrophe in the enclave.

According to The National, Hamas views the proposal – put forward by US envoy Steve Witkoff and reportedly accepted by Israel – as “distorted” and heavily tilted in Israel’s favour. While the Palestinian group is still evaluating the plan, it is expected to reject it in its current form.

“Hamas sees the Witkoff plan as biased in favour of Israel, distorted and incomplete,” said one source. “It views it as a fulfilment of Israeli demands and does not appropriately treat the humanitarian situation in Gaza.”

Although Hamas confirmed on 29th May that it was reviewing the proposal, its final decision remains unclear. Sources indicate the group is dissatisfied with the absence of “genuine guarantees” that the proposed 60-day truce would lead to a lasting end to the conflict or an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

“Hamas’s response will be detailed and will mention the points that Hamas agrees to as well as those it rejects,” one source noted.

The group’s main concern lies in the proposal’s conditional structure, which links key outcomes – such as a permanent ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal – to the progress of future negotiations, rather than ensuring them as a result of the process.

The plan includes a staggered release of 10 Israeli hostages and the return of the remains of 18 others who died in captivity. In return, Israel would free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. However, Hamas argues that the plan ignores its input regarding the timeline and mechanisms for these exchanges.

Sources also criticised the way humanitarian aid is handled in the proposal, claiming it treats aid not as a human right but as a conditional component of the broader plan, thereby leaving it vulnerable to Israeli control.

“In Hamas’s view, it’s a reproduction of the starvation policy adopted by Israel in Gaza, but only wrapped in diplomatic language,” a source said.

The plan envisions the resumption of aid deliveries, with up to 1,000 lorries entering Gaza daily to combat severe shortages of food, medicine, and other essentials for the enclave’s 2.3 million residents. A distribution framework developed by UN experts has reportedly been submitted to Israeli authorities.

Beyond a ceasefire, the proposal outlines negotiations on sensitive postwar issues, including the governance of Gaza, the status of Hamas’s weapons, and the possible exile of its senior leaders.

Hamas has expressed a willingness to step back from administering Gaza and from leading postwar reconstruction. It has also said it is open to placing its weapons under international supervision, though not surrendering them. Additionally, the group has indicated it may allow some senior officials – and members of allied factions like Palestinian Islamic Jihad – to go into exile, provided they are not later targeted by Israeli forces.

The war, now in its 20th month, was triggered by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and led to the capture of around 240 hostages. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has since killed more than 54,000 Palestinians and injured more than twice that number, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Much of the territory has been left in ruins.

The most recent ceasefire began on January 19th and expired on March 1st. Although relative calm persisted for several weeks, Israel resumed military operations on March 18th.

As negotiations continue, hopes for a sustainable ceasefire remain dim, with core disagreements on both humanitarian and political fronts threatening to derail diplomatic efforts.

The National/ Maghrebi.org