Hamas on Saturday called for amendments to a United States-backed ceasefire proposal in Gaza, even as the humanitarian situation in the enclave continues to deteriorate.
The request drew swift condemnation from US envoy Steve Witkoff, who described the move as “totally unacceptable”.
Hamas said it is willing to release 10 living Israeli hostages and hand over the bodies of 18 others in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners.
However, the group insisted on its long-standing demands, a complete Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, and a permanent ceasefire.
“This response aims to achieve a permanent ceasefire, a complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and to ensure the flow of humanitarian aid to our people in the Strip,” the group said in a statement. It described its response to the US proposal as “positive”.
But the Israeli government has repeatedly ruled out a full withdrawal or formal end to the war, insisting instead on the dismantling of Hamas and the release of all remaining 58 hostages believed to be held in Gaza.
According to a Palestinian official familiar with the ongoing negotiations, Hamas is seeking a phased release of hostages over a proposed 60-day truce period, along with increased distribution of humanitarian aid across the Gaza Strip.
There was no immediate reaction from the office of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to the new demands.
Although US officials had earlier indicated that Israel had agreed to the general framework of the deal, Witkoff said Hamas’ latest position was a setback.
“It is totally unacceptable and only takes us backwards. Hamas should accept the framework proposal we put forward as the basis for proximity talks, which we can begin immediately this coming week,” he said in a social media post.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces confirmed on Saturday that they had killed Mohammad Sinwar, the Hamas commander in Gaza and younger brother to the group’s leader, Yahya Sinwar.
Mohammad was reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike on a hospital in southern Gaza on May 13, although Hamas has yet to confirm his death.
Israel resumed its air and ground assault on Gaza in March after a two-month ceasefire collapsed.
The military said it has continued targeting Hamas infrastructure, including sniper posts and a weapons production facility.
The ongoing conflict has displaced over two million people, forcing much of Gaza’s population into overcrowded shelters in cities like Khan Younis, while basic services have collapsed.
The humanitarian situation has reached breaking point. Aid agencies warned over the weekend that Gaza is on the brink of famine, with hunger and disease spreading rapidly.
The United Nations said the situation is the worst since the war began 19 months ago.
“The aid that’s being sent now makes a mockery of the mass tragedy unfolding under our watch,” said Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.
On Saturday, trucks carrying flour for World Food Programme -operated bakeries were looted by armed groups, underscoring the fragile security situation in the Strip.
“After nearly 80 days of a total blockade, communities are starving, and they are no longer willing to watch food pass them by,” WFP said in a statement.
While the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation continues to operate three food distribution points, several major international aid agencies have refused to coordinate with the foundation, citing concerns about its neutrality.
They have also argued that the volume of aid currently allowed into Gaza is far below what is needed to meet the scale of the crisis.
Israeli authorities denied the accusations and said they were facilitating aid deliveries. They accused Hamas of hijacking and misappropriating supplies, a claim the militant group has denied.
The war began after a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which left over 1,200 people dead and 251 taken hostage.
Since then, Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, and laid waste to large parts of the besieged territory.
