After Hamas responds to latest proposal from Trump envoy for a 60-day ceasefire and hostage deal with new demands that are far from the proposal, Israel prepares for further combat.
Israel is preparing to escalate military operations in the Gaza Strip, particularly in the northern region, after Hamas rejected the Witkoff ceasefire proposal—a move perceived in Jerusalem as a refusal to engage in the negotiation process.
According to reports, the decision to increase military pressure stems from assessments that Gaza Brigade Commander Az al-Din al-Haddad currently holds significant influence within the Strip and likely dictates Hamas’s internal positions.
In addition to military actions, changes are anticipated concerning humanitarian aid, specifically the delivery of food trucks and the establishment of an additional food distribution center. Security officials indicate that altering food distribution significantly impacts Hamas and “undermines Hamas’s foundations.”
U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff responded to Hamas’s reply, calling it “totally unacceptable” and stating that it “only takes us backward.” He emphasized that his proposal offers “the only path to agree on a 60-day ceasefire during which half of the living hostages and half of the deceased would return to their families, allowing continued good-faith negotiations for a permanent ceasefire.”
The Prime Minister’s Office stated, “While Israel has agreed to the updated Witkoff framework for the release of our hostages, Hamas persists in its refusal. As US Presidential Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff has said, Hamas’s response is totally unacceptable and is a step backward. Israel will continue its efforts to return our hostages and defeat Hamas.”
In a message to families, Gal Hirsch and the Hostage and Missing Persons Headquarters conveyed that Hamas’s response to the updated framework for the release of hostages was rejected by both Israel and the United States. “Dear families, Hamas’s response has reached us and is unacceptable to both the U.S. and Israel. While Israel agreed to the updated Wietkoff framework for the release of our hostages, Hamas continues to adhere to its obstinacy. As President Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, officially announced this evening—Hamas’s response is unacceptable and sets the situation back. Israel will continue its efforts to return all our hostages and defeat Hamas. We will continue to update you as negotiations with the mediators progress.”
A senior official familiar with the negotiation details revealed that an in-depth analysis of Hamas’s response indicated that the terror organization’s proposal is significantly distant from Israel’s offer. Among the demands: a ceasefire lasting up to seven years, complete IDF withdrawal from all areas occupied since March, cancellation of the new humanitarian model under which aid is distributed by the Gaza Assistance Fund, and a return to the previous aid distribution format. “This is not a response—it’s a door slam,” the official said.
