The terror group reportedly spurned the offer over Israel’s demand that it disarm.
(April 17, 2025 / JNS) Hamas has rejected an Israeli ceasefire proposal that would have required it to disarm, according to a report on Tuesday.
“The Israeli proposal relayed to the movement through Egypt explicitly called for the disarmament of Hamas without any Israeli commitment to end the war or withdraw from Gaza. Hamas therefore rejected the offer in its entirety,” a senior Palestinian official told the BBC.
The proposal also called for a six-week ceasefire which would have included restarting the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip, halted by Israel in early March, according to the report.
In return, Hamas was to have released half the remaining live captives in the first week of the ceasefire. Fifty-nine hostages remain in captivity in Gaza, of whom 24 are believed to be alive.
Israel’s proposal was submitted days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with U.S. President Donald Trump, according to the BBC.