Hamas has responded to a US-backed cease-fire proposal aimed at ending the eight-month conflict in Gaza. The response, delivered to mediators in Egypt and Qatar, calls for changes before Hamas will agree to a deal.
Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, both designated as terrorist organizations by the US and the European Union, emphasized the need to halt aggression against the Gaza Strip.
“The response prioritizes the interest of our Palestinian people, and the necessity of completely stopping the ongoing aggression against the Gaza Strip,” they said in a joint statement.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby confirmed that the US is evaluating Hamas’s response. “We are evaluating it right now,” Kirby stated.
While specific details of the requested changes remain unclear, an anonymous source familiar with the matter revealed that Hamas is demanding Israel’s full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. This demand is likely to be rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
President Joe Biden introduced a three-phase peace plan on May 31, which he claimed had Israeli support. However, there is uncertainty about whether Netanyahu’s government fully endorses the proposal.
