Hamas official dismisses modified US Gaza proposals as ‘nothing new’

A leading Hamas official recently stated that ongoing discussions between Hamas and Israel regarding a ceasefire in Gaza and an arrangement for exchanging hostages have not progressed. The proposal, introduced last month by U.S. President Joe Biden, suggested a six-week ceasefire, an Israeli pullback from densely populated regions, and a hostage-prisoner exchange.

According to Axios, which cited three informed sources, the United States has introduced new phrasing for parts of the negotiation terms.

Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas representative in Lebanon, acknowledged receiving the most recent proposal on June 24 but noted it offered no new developments. He emphasized the lack of progress in talks aimed at halting Israeli hostilities during a press conference.

Despite efforts, Biden’s proposal has yet to yield a successful agreement, with each party holding firmly to its positions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared his intention to persist in the conflict until Hamas is completely defeated and all hostages are released.

Hamas is demanding a permanent ceasefire and a total withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Hamdan criticized the current proposals as futile and only serving to extend the duration of what he referred to as Israeli acts of genocide. He also mentioned that Hamas faced pressure to accept the deal without changes.

The conflict began with a Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, leading to 1,195 reported deaths, mainly civilians, according to an AFP tally using Israeli data. The initial attack resulted in the capture of hostages, with 116 still in Gaza; the Israeli army reports that 42 are deceased.

In response, Israel’s counter-offensive has led to at least 37,834 deaths, predominantly among civilians, based on figures from Gaza’s health ministry.