Hamas has officially turned down Israel’s latest ceasefire proposal, declaring it will not accept any partial agreements and instead calling for a complete end to the war in exchange for all hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
The militant group’s top negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, made the statement in a video message, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of using limited deals to push his own political goals. Hamas said it is ready to begin talks immediately for a full hostage-prisoner exchange and a permanent ceasefire, but it dismissed Israel’s offer of a 45-day pause in return for just 10 hostages.
The proposal was rejected amid a new wave of Israeli airstrikes. At least 37 people were killed when missiles hit a tent camp in al-Mawasi, a designated displacement area where civilians had been told to take shelter. Witnesses described tents catching fire after a massive blast, with many of the victims believed to be women and children.
Israel has not confirmed responsibility for the strike but said it is reviewing the reports. In a separate statement, the Israeli military claimed it targeted over 100 Hamas-linked sites in the past 48 hours, including what it described as terrorist infrastructure.
Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich reacted to the ceasefire rejection by calling for more aggressive military action against Hamas.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. Aid organizations have warned that the entire relief system is on the verge of collapse. Despite claims by Israel that aid is not in short supply, no new assistance has reached Gaza since the blockade was reinforced on March 1.
The war, which began on October 7, 2023, after a surprise attack by Hamas killed around 1,200 people and led to the abduction of 251 hostages, has now claimed over 51,000 lives in Gaza, according to health officials in the Hamas-run enclave.
With both sides holding firm, and trust at an all-time low, any agreement remains far out of reach. Israel continues to demand Hamas’s total defeat, while Hamas insists that only a full end to the war and the release of all prisoners can lead to peace.