After backing Gaza ceasefire deal, Hamas now says proposal under review

Less than 24 hours after formally accepting a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal for Gaza, Hamas now says it is still “reviewing” the plan, raising uncertainty over the implementation of a truce aimed at halting months of devastating conflict.

The initial breakthrough came Thursday, when the White House confirmed that both Israel and Hamas had agreed in principle to a 60-day ceasefire proposal, supported by Egypt and Qatar, and personally backed by U.S. President Donald Trump. The plan includes a phased hostage-prisoner exchange, as well as the immediate entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Under the terms:

• Hamas would release 28 Israeli hostages, both living and deceased, during the first week.
• Israel would release 125 Palestinian prisoners, including some serving life sentences, and return the remains of 180 Palestinians.
• The final 30 hostages held in Gaza would be freed once a permanent ceasefire is agreed upon.
   

However, despite the apparent agreement, Hamas officials have now walked back their position, claiming they are still evaluating the details of the proposal.

In a Friday statement, senior Hamas figure Basem Naim accused Israel of using the ceasefire to “entrench occupation and prolong suffering,” but acknowledged the group was conducting a “thorough and responsible review” of the plan.

Further skepticism came from Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri, who told Yemen’s Al-Masirah outlet that the Israeli proposal received “did not reflect what was previously agreed with the American mediator.” He said key Hamas demands — including a guaranteed Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, unrestricted aid access, and clarity on post-ceasefire terms — were absent from the document.

Meanwhile, the U.S. administration remains cautiously optimistic, with State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stating, “We do believe that it has some significant promise.”

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