Hamas announced on Monday that it is carefully reviewing a new ceasefire proposal presented by international mediators.
The Palestinian group stated that it is approaching the offer with “great national responsibility” and will issue a formal response once internal consultations are complete.
As reported by NAN, Hamas emphasized that any deal must include a permanent ceasefire, the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, a meaningful prisoner swap, the beginning of reconstruction efforts, and the complete lifting of the blockade on the enclave.
Al Jazeera also reported that Hamas had rejected Israel’s condition that the group must disarm as part of the agreement.
An unnamed senior Hamas official told the outlet that while a fresh proposal was received from Egypt, it came with the unexpected inclusion of a disarmament clause, which Hamas considers non-negotiable.
“Our negotiating delegation was surprised that the proposal Egypt conveyed included an explicit text regarding the disarmament of the resistance,” the official stated. “Hamas’s weapons are not up for discussion.”
Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas are ongoing, with Egypt, Qatar, and the United States acting as mediators. These talks follow the breakdown of a temporary truce that expired earlier this year.
Meanwhile, the United Nations reiterated calls for peace. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric urged all parties to respect civilians and facilitate the release of hostages.
“Civilians must be respected and protected at all times,” he said. “All hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally. A ceasefire must be restored and renewed without delay.”
Hostilities resumed on March 18 when Israel restarted airstrikes on Gaza, attributing the stalled negotiations to Hamas.
On Monday, six people from the same family were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in the Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City, according to al-Shifa Hospital officials.
The conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas launched a deadly assault on southern Israel—killing around 1,200 people and kidnapping about 250—has resulted in more than 50,983 deaths in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
The majority of casualties are reported to be women and children. These figures do not differentiate between militants and civilians.