Israeli official: Hamas rejects key elements of US ceasefire plan for Gaza

Hamas formally responded on Tuesday to a US ceasefire proposal for the eight-month-old war in the Gaza Strip, and Israel said the response was tantamount to a rejection while a Hamas official said the Palestinian group merely reiterated longstanding demands not met by the current plan.

Egypt and Qatar said they had received Hamas' response to a proposal outlined by US President Joe Biden on May 31 but did not disclose the contents.

The Hamas official, who declined to be identified, told Reuters the response reaffirmed its stance that a ceasefire must lead to a permanent end to hostilities in Gaza, withdrawal of Israeli forces, reconstruction of the Palestinian enclave, and release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel.

"We reiterated our previous stance. I believe there are no big gaps. The ball is now in the Israeli courtyard."

The United States has said Israel accepted its proposal, but Israel has not publicly said this. Israel, which has continued assaults in central and southern Gaza, among the bloodiest of the war, has repeatedly said it would not commit to an end of its campaign in Gaza before Hamas is eliminated.

An Israeli official said on Tuesday the country had received Hamas' answer from the mediators and that Hamas "changed all of the main and most meaningful parameters."

The Israeli official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Hamas "has rejected the proposal for a hostage release that was presented by President Biden."

Earlier a non-Israeli official briefed on the matter, who declined to be identified, said Hamas proposed a new timeline for a permanent ceasefire with Israel and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, including Rafah.

Reuters