President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East has dismissed the Hamas terrorist group’s response to a U.S.-backed Gaza Strip cease-fire proposal as “totally unacceptable” and a step backward in efforts to end the war, after the terror group said it wanted to revise key terms of the deal, including the timing of hostage releases and Israeli withdrawals.
In a statement issued on May 31, envoy Steve Witkoff urged Hamas to accept the current framework as the basis for immediate talks that could lead to a 60-day pause in fighting and the return of hostages—both living and dead.
Hamas confirmed in a statement posted on its Telegram channel on May 31 that it had delivered a formal response to the U.S. proposal, which Israeli officials had already approved. However, Hamas said its counterproposal seeks a permanent cease-fire, a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and unimpeded humanitarian aid access. The group also said the agreement would involve the release of 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 more, in exchange for “an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners.”
A senior Hamas official told The Associated Press that the group’s reply included “notes and amendments,” particularly regarding U.S. guarantees, the sequencing of hostage and prisoner exchanges, aid delivery logistics, and Israeli troop redeployments. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks.
The full contents of the U.S. proposal have not been made public.
“Those discussions are continuing, and we hope that a cease-fire in Gaza will take place so we can return all of the hostages home,” she said.
Trump, speaking to reporters in Washington on May 30, expressed optimism.
“They’re very close to an agreement on Gaza,” he told reporters. “They’re in a big mess. I think they want to get out of it.”
The proposed agreement comes after a previous temporary truce collapsed in March. Since then, Israel has renewed its ground and air operations across the Gaza Strip and aid access has been restricted, as Israel has accused Hamas of stealing the aid and selling it to fund its military operations.
The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led terrorists launched a surprise cross-border attack on southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and abducting 251 hostages. About half of those hostages have been released in previous deals or cease-fires, while others have been rescued or confirmed dead. Israeli officials said 58 hostages remain in the Gaza Strip, with about one-third believed to be alive.
According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023—a figure that has not been independently verified and does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
