Hamas formally responded to the U.S.-brokered ceasefire proposal on Saturday, demanding critical amendments to secure a "permanent ceasefire, comprehensive Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and unimpeded aid flow".
The group offered to release 10 living hostages and 18 bodies in exchange for 1,100 Palestinian prisoners, including those serving life sentences.
However, it insists the current framework lacks binding guarantees against Israel resuming hostilities after 60 days—a key concern after Israel shattered the March truce. Senior official Basem Naim criticized the U.S. draft for ignoring core demands: lifting the blockade and ending "policies of starvation".
Israeli Threats and Onslaught Continue
Israeli officials immediately dismissed Hamas’s conditions as an "effective rejection." Defense Minister Yoav Gallant threatened annihilation: "Hamas murderers must choose: accept the deal or be annihilated". Far-right ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich vowed to collapse Netanyahu’s government if he concedes to a permanent ceasefire. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes killed 60 Palestinians in 24 hours, including 23 in Bureij refugee camp, compounding a death toll exceeding 54,000 since October 2023.
Famine Deepens as Aid System Crumbles
Gaza’s 2.3 million people face "catastrophic hunger," with the UN warning famine is now widespread. Desperation has spiked: crowds looted 77 UN flour trucks overnight after Israel’s 11-week blockade reduced aid to a "teaspoon" of needs. The U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distributed 1.8 million meals but faced chaos when Israeli forces opened fire on crowds, killing civilians. UN agencies boycott GHF, calling it a tool to "reinforce Israeli control".
Diplomatic Isolation Grows Against Israel
Israel blocked a historic Arab delegation—including Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan—from entering Ramallah to discuss Palestinian statehood, branding it a "provocative" act. This follows France’s push to recognize Palestine at a June 17–20 UN conference, which Norway and Spain may join. Qatar’s mediators remain engaged, but U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff called Hamas’s amendments "totally unacceptable," revealing stark U.S.-Israel alignment.