Gaza ceasefire deal stalls amid Hamas concerns
Shafaq News/ Hopes for a breakthrough in Gaza ceasefire negotiations have dimmed, as Hamas voiced serious reservations over the latest US-backed proposal, a senior Palestinian rights official told Shafaq News.
In an exclusive interview, Salah Abdel-Ati, head of the Gaza-based International Commission to Support the Palestinian People's Rights, said the movement's rejection stems from 'deep mistrust' over the terms of the deal—particularly the mechanisms for humanitarian aid delivery and the ambiguity surrounding a potential Israeli military withdrawal from the enclave.
'These gaps undermine the credibility of the ceasefire proposal,' Abdel-Ati explained. 'Hamas remains skeptical that the agreement, in its current form, will lead to a sustainable solution or address the core issues of the conflict.'
Despite active mediation by Egypt and Qatar, Abdel-Ati confirmed that no concrete progress has been made. 'The movement is waiting for clearer, verifiable guarantees before engaging further in the process,' he said.
On Saturday, Hamas officially submitted its response to the proposal led by Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's envoy to the Middle East. The movement proposed amendments aimed at transforming the temporary ceasefire into a permanent truce, emphasizing the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, unrestricted humanitarian access, and a prisoner-exchange framework.
However, the US envoy denounced Hamas's amendments as 'completely unacceptable,' saying the move 'sets the process backward rather than advancing it.'
In explaining Hamas's persistent hesitation, Abdel-Ati also referenced the broader context of 'unfulfilled' regional commitments, pointing to the Arab League's 'Baghdad Declaration,' adopted during the May 17 summit, which called for an immediate ceasefire and the deployment of UN peacekeeping forces in Palestinian territories.
'Despite the strong language, no implementation mechanisms have materialized,' he noted. 'This lack of follow-through only deepens distrust and complicates efforts to reach a lasting agreement.'
Meanwhile, violence continues to escalate in Gaza with at least 30 Palestinians were killed and over 120 wounded on Saturday when Israeli forces opened fire on crowds gathered near a US-managed aid distribution center in western Rafah, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The death toll from the Gaza war, which began on October 7, 2023, has now surpassed 54,000 Palestinians, with more than 124,000 injured, amid repeated warnings from humanitarian agencies about the collapse of health and aid systems under ongoing bombardment.
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