GAZA – Hamas has rejected the Israeli ceasefire offer presented earlier this week, according to a senior Hamas official, instead calling for a “comprehensive” proposal to end the war.
The official told CNN, “The offer is rejected in full and in detail.”
The rejection prompted far-right Israeli lawmakers to issue calls for an immediate escalation in Gaza, urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to unleash “hell” and pursue “complete victory.”
The Israeli ceasefire proposal did not guarantee an end to the war and called for a disarmament of Gaza, both of which have been red lines for Hamas. The militant organization refuses to give up its weapons and demands that any proposal includes a permanent end to the war.
“We want a comprehensive package,” the official said.
The Israeli plan called for a 45-day truce, during which the two sides would aim to negotiate a permanent ceasefire.
Under the proposal, the remaining 59 hostages would be released in stages, starting with American-Israeli Edan Alexander on the first day of the truce as a “special gesture” to the United States. A further nine Israeli hostages would be released in two stages in exchange for 120 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and more than 1 100 detainees held without charge since October 7, 2023.
Israel’s proposal also demands that Hamas provide information about the remaining living Israeli hostages held by the group, “in exchange for information about the Palestinian detainees,” and the release of the bodies of 16 deceased Israeli hostages for the remains of 160 deceased Palestinians held by Israel.
Hamas studied the proposal for several days before responding. (CNN)
