📍Gaza City / Washington, D.C.
🗓 June 1, 2025 | Updated 5 hours ago
✍️ By: Middle East Correspondent, Global News Desk
🔻 Overview: A Cautious Step Toward De-Escalation
In a pivotal turn in the seven-month-long Gaza war, Hamas has officially responded to a ceasefire proposal championed by U.S. President Joe Biden. The group has agreed in principle to a phased hostage release in exchange for a ceasefire—but with conditions that immediately triggered objections from Israel and the U.S.
While the response marks the first serious engagement by Hamas in weeks, its demands for a full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza remain a major stumbling block.
📜 Ceasefire Framework: What’s on the Table?
The U.S.-backed proposal envisions a three-stage process:
🔹 Phase 1: Humanitarian Ceasefire and Hostage Release
-
A 6-week truce
-
Release of 10 living Israeli hostages held in Gaza
-
Transfer of 18 bodies of hostages who reportedly died in captivity
-
Increased humanitarian aid and the return of displaced Palestinian civilians to northern Gaza
🔹 Phase 2: Gradual Demilitarization
-
Israeli troop pullback from populated areas
-
Exchange of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails
-
Continued negotiations on a permanent truce
🔹 Phase 3: Long-Term Peace and Reconstruction
-
Comprehensive ceasefire
-
Launch of a massive reconstruction effort in Gaza, led by the U.N. and Gulf states
-
Potential governance restructuring involving the Palestinian Authority
🛑 U.S. Response: "Totally Unacceptable Conditions"
Shortly after Hamas' reply, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff voiced frustration over what he described as "maximalist demands" from the group.
“Hamas is trying to dictate military terms after carrying out an unprecedented terrorist attack. That’s not going to work,” Witkoff said during a security forum in Singapore.
According to U.S. officials, the demand for a full and unconditional Israeli withdrawal without prior disarmament from Hamas is a non-starter in the eyes of Washington and Tel Aviv.
🇮🇱 Israel's Position: "No Truce Without Total Demilitarization"
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded with a firm rejection of Hamas’ terms. In a televised address to the Knesset, he reiterated Israel's objectives:
-
Destruction of Hamas' military capabilities
-
Unconditional return of all hostages
-
Prevention of any post-conflict resurgence of the militant group
“There will be no ceasefire until Hamas is dismantled. Any pause in fighting must lead to our hostages coming home and permanent Israeli security,” Netanyahu said.
🇵🇸 Gaza Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
Meanwhile, the human toll in Gaza continues to grow:
-
Over 35,000 Palestinians killed, according to Gaza Health Ministry
-
80% of homes damaged or destroyed
-
Severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine, and clean water
International aid agencies, including UNRWA and the ICRC, have warned that Gaza is on the brink of famine, especially in the north.
“Without a sustained ceasefire, we risk losing an entire generation of children,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director.
🗣️ International Reactions: Mixed but Hopeful
🌍 Egypt & Qatar: “A Narrow Window of Opportunity”
Both Egypt and Qatar, key mediators, urged all parties to seize the moment and avoid a collapse of talks.
🇺🇳 United Nations: Push for Immediate Access
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the situation in Gaza "intolerable" and demanded immediate access for humanitarian workers.
🇫🇷 🇬🇧 🇩🇪 European Support for Biden Plan
France, Germany, and the UK backed the U.S. framework and asked both Hamas and Israel to show “maturity and compromise.”
📊 Public Opinion: Pressure Mounts on Both Sides
In Israel, public frustration is growing over the fate of the hostages. Families of captives marched again in Tel Aviv, demanding their release—even if it means accepting a temporary truce.
In Gaza, residents express mixed views—some fearing further violence, others hopeful the ceasefire could finally bring an end to months of destruction.
🧭 What Happens Next?
Negotiators from the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar are expected to meet in Cairo over the next 48 hours to refine the proposal and determine whether a compromise is possible.
Analysts say the coming days are critical.
“If this deal collapses, the next Israeli offensive could be far more intense,” warned Dr. Maha Nasser, a Middle East affairs professor at Princeton. “We are at a pivotal juncture.”
📰 IN BRIEF: CEASEFIRE TIMELINE SO FAR
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Oct 7, 2024 | Hamas attacks southern Israel; war begins |
| Jan 2025 | First failed ceasefire talks |
| Apr 2025 | Israel intensifies operations in Rafah |
| May 30, 2025 | Biden presents new ceasefire framework |
| June 1, 2025 | Hamas issues conditional reply |
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
0 Comments