Hamas Evaluates U.S. Ceasefire Proposal While Israel Steps Up Attacks
Hamas announced on Friday that it is considering a U.S. proposal aimed at reinstating the ceasefire in Gaza, while Israel has ramped up its military operations to compel the Palestinian militant group to release the remaining Israeli hostages.
TroibNews 
Hamas announced on Friday that it is considering a U.S. proposal aimed at reinstating the ceasefire in Gaza, while Israel has ramped up its military operations to compel the group to release remaining Israeli hostages.
The "bridge" plan introduced by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff last week seeks to extend the ceasefire through April, allowing for negotiations on a lasting cessation of hostilities that would encompass the holidays of Ramadan and Passover.
Taher al-Nunu, a Hamas spokesperson, stated that the group is evaluating Witkoff's proposal in conjunction with new initiatives from various mediators aimed at resolving the conflict and facilitating a complete Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza.
According to Reuters, two Egyptian security sources reported that Egypt has also proposed a bridging plan, but Hamas has not yet responded. They indicated that Egypt's suggestion includes establishing a timeline for the release of the remaining hostages, as well as a deadline for a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza with U.S. assurances.
Following Israel's abandonment of a two-month-old truce three days earlier, its military has significantly intensified air, land, and sea strikes in Gaza. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz asserted that the military campaign would persist until Hamas releases more hostages and is thoroughly defeated, adding that civilians would be relocated to the southern part of Gaza.
U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz defended Israel's right to self-defense, stating, "The ceasefire could have been extended if Hamas had released all remaining hostages." He emphasized, "Israel has every right to defend its people against Hamas terrorists."
In response, al-Nunu accused Waltz of distorting the facts, arguing that Hamas had made clear proposals for both a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had rejected for political reasons.
This week, Israeli airstrikes have caused significant damage to Hamas, including the death of its Gaza government chief and other prominent officials.
On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Security Agency reported that an intelligence-led strike the previous day had killed Osama Tabash, head of Hamas' military intelligence in southern Gaza, who was also responsible for the organization's surveillance and targeting unit. Hamas has not yet issued a response regarding this claim.
In a separate incident, Hamas' military wing, the Qassam Brigades, announced on Friday that it had launched a rocket at the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon as retaliation for Israeli assaults on civilians. The IDF reported that its air force intercepted two rockets fired from Gaza toward Ashkelon.
Meanwhile, the governments of Germany, France, and Britain issued a joint statement on Friday calling for an immediate return to a ceasefire in Gaza and urging Israel to facilitate humanitarian access.
The ministers expressed their "appall" at civilian casualties and called on Israel to ensure restoration of access to humanitarian resources, including water and electricity, as well as medical care and temporary evacuations. They asserted that the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians cannot be resolved through military means, stressing that a lasting ceasefire is the only credible path toward peace.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
The "bridge" plan introduced by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff last week seeks to extend the ceasefire through April, allowing for negotiations on a lasting cessation of hostilities that would encompass the holidays of Ramadan and Passover.
Taher al-Nunu, a Hamas spokesperson, stated that the group is evaluating Witkoff's proposal in conjunction with new initiatives from various mediators aimed at resolving the conflict and facilitating a complete Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza.
According to Reuters, two Egyptian security sources reported that Egypt has also proposed a bridging plan, but Hamas has not yet responded. They indicated that Egypt's suggestion includes establishing a timeline for the release of the remaining hostages, as well as a deadline for a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza with U.S. assurances.
Following Israel's abandonment of a two-month-old truce three days earlier, its military has significantly intensified air, land, and sea strikes in Gaza. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz asserted that the military campaign would persist until Hamas releases more hostages and is thoroughly defeated, adding that civilians would be relocated to the southern part of Gaza.
U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz defended Israel's right to self-defense, stating, "The ceasefire could have been extended if Hamas had released all remaining hostages." He emphasized, "Israel has every right to defend its people against Hamas terrorists."
In response, al-Nunu accused Waltz of distorting the facts, arguing that Hamas had made clear proposals for both a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had rejected for political reasons.
This week, Israeli airstrikes have caused significant damage to Hamas, including the death of its Gaza government chief and other prominent officials.
On Friday, the Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Security Agency reported that an intelligence-led strike the previous day had killed Osama Tabash, head of Hamas' military intelligence in southern Gaza, who was also responsible for the organization's surveillance and targeting unit. Hamas has not yet issued a response regarding this claim.
In a separate incident, Hamas' military wing, the Qassam Brigades, announced on Friday that it had launched a rocket at the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon as retaliation for Israeli assaults on civilians. The IDF reported that its air force intercepted two rockets fired from Gaza toward Ashkelon.
Meanwhile, the governments of Germany, France, and Britain issued a joint statement on Friday calling for an immediate return to a ceasefire in Gaza and urging Israel to facilitate humanitarian access.
The ministers expressed their "appall" at civilian casualties and called on Israel to ensure restoration of access to humanitarian resources, including water and electricity, as well as medical care and temporary evacuations. They asserted that the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians cannot be resolved through military means, stressing that a lasting ceasefire is the only credible path toward peace.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
