Hamas says it is still reviewing a U.S. proposal for a Gaza ceasefire

Hamas said on Friday (May 30, 2025) it was still reviewing a U.S. proposal for a temporary ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, where 27 people were killed in new Israeli airstrikes, according to hospital officials.The ceasefire plan, which has been approved by Israeli officials, won a cool initial reaction on Thursday (May 29, 2025) from the militant group. But President Donald Trump said on Friday (May 30, 2025) negotiators were nearing a deal.“They’re very close to an agreement on Gaza, and we’ll let you know about it during the day or maybe tomorrow,” Mr. Trump told reporters in Washington. Late in the evening, asked if he was confident Hamas would approve the deal, he told reporters: “They’re in a big mess. I think they want to get out of it.”U.S. negotiators have not publicized the terms of the proposal. But a Hamas official and an Egyptian official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive talks, said on Thursday (May 29, 2025) that it called for a 60-day pause in fighting, guarantees of serious negotiations leading to a long-term truce and assurances that Israel will not resume hostilities after the release of hostages, as it did in March.In a terse statement issued a few hours before Mr. Trump spoke, Hamas said it is holding consultations with Palestinian factions over the proposal it had received from U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.A United Nations spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, urged the parties to “find the political courage” to secure an agreement.While changes may have been made to the proposal, the version confirmed earlier called for Israeli forces to pull back to the positions they held before it ended the last ceasefire. Hamas would release 10 living hostages and a number of bodies during the 60-day pause in exchange for more than 1,100 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, including 100 serving long sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks.Each day, hundreds of trucks carrying food and humanitarian aid would be allowed to enter Gaza, where experts say a nearly three-month Israeli blockade — slightly eased in recent days — has pushed the population to the brink of famine.“Negotiations are ongoing on the current proposal,” Qatar’s ambassador to the United Nations, Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani said on Friday (May 30, 2025), referring to talks between her country, the United States and Egypt. “We are very determined to find an ending to this horrific situation in Gaza.”