Hamas calls Biden’s Gaza ceasefire plan “just words”

A senior Hamas official has dismissed U.S. President Joe Biden’s proposed ceasefire deal for Gaza as “just words,” stating that the group has not received any documented or written commitments regarding the truce. Biden had previously outlined an Israeli three-phase plan aimed at ending the conflict, freeing hostages, and reconstructing Gaza without Hamas in power.

Osama Hamdan, a Hamas representative based in Beirut, told AFP, “There is no proposal — they are just words said by Biden in a speech.” He emphasized that the U.S. has not provided any formal documentation that commits them to Biden’s statements.

Hamdan accused Biden of attempting to mask Israel’s rejection of an earlier proposed deal, which Hamas had accepted. He reiterated Hamas’s readiness to agree to any deal that includes a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and a full withdrawal of Israeli troops.

The U.S. has urged Hamas to accept the proposed deal and has stated that they are awaiting a response. “We think this should be an urgent priority to get this ceasefire over the line, to start to alleviate the suffering that is happening every day in Gaza,” said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. He added that they hope for a prompt response from Hamas.

Following Biden’s announcement of the plan, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the roadmap as only “partial.” Negotiations involving the United States, Qatar, and Egypt have been ongoing for months, attempting to finalize a ceasefire in Gaza. Despite a seven-day pause in November that resulted in the release of over 100 hostages, the fighting has persisted.

The conflict in Gaza, triggered by Hamas’s October 7 attack that killed 1,194 people and resulted in 251 hostages, has led to a severe humanitarian crisis. Israel’s military response has killed at least 36,654 people, mostly civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry run by Hamas.