News - Middle East: The United States has rejected Hamas’ response to a proposed ceasefire, accusing the Palestinian resistance movement of turning the offer down.

The office of Washington’s regional envoy, Steve Witkoff passed the remarks in a post on X, former Twitter, on Saturday after receiving Hamas' reaction to the proposal.

“I received the Hamas’ response to the United States proposal. It is totally unacceptable and only takes us backward,” the office claimed.

It alleged that Hamas had turned down the framework, suggesting that the movement was, therefore, preventing realization of the prospect of subsequent “proximity talks.”

“This (the proposal) is the only way we can close a 60-day ceasefire deal in the coming days,” in which half of the Israeli regime’s living captives and half of the deceased ones would be handed over,

Witkoff’s office, meanwhile, purported that the proposal was meant to pave the way for “substantive negotiations” in good faith aimed at achieving a “permanent ceasefire.”

Hamas denies rejection

Contrary to the US’s allegations, senior Hamas’ official Bassem Naim said the group did not reject the proposal, but instead offered a response that met the basic demands of the Palestinian people under the circumstances.

“We did not reject Mr. Witkoff's proposal,” he explained. “We agreed with him last week on a proposal, which he considered acceptable as a basis for negotiation.”

“However, the response we received from the other side did not align with our agreed-upon terms and failed to meet the minimum demands of our people,” Naim added.

Hamas’ key demands, as stated by Naim, had included ensuring the Israeli enemy's adherence to a 60-day temporary truce and allowing transfer of sufficient humanitarian aid from United Nations organizations.

The movement had also demanded a guarantee that the negotiations would lead to the end of the Israeli regime’s October 2023-present war on the Gaza Strip and the withdrawal of hostile forces.

‘US always preferring Israel’s interests’

Naim also expressed frustration with the negotiations, saying the Israeli response was often treated as the sole basis for talks, undermining fairness and justice in the mediation process.

He, meanwhile, noted how the American proposal had been crafted so it would ensure provision of the regime’s interests.

According to the resistance official, the proposal featured a 60-day ceasefire without guarantees that the regime would abide by it.

Humanitarian aid would also only enter Gaza under the regime’s proposed plans, which Hamas sees as legitimizing Tel Aviv’s military control, he stated.

The official, meanwhile, noted that negotiations over withdrawal maps were based on the regime’s current military presence, potentially perpetuating control over Gaza.

The American initiative, he concluded, also failed to include any guarantees for an end to the war or the withdrawal of hostile forces, as discussions rather focused on redeployment and security arrangements.

Hamas reaffirms commitment to permanent ceasefire

Also on Saturday, Taher al-Nono, a media advisor for Hamas’ Political Bureau, further clarified the group's position.

Echoing al-Nono's remarks, he emphasized that the movement had not rejected the proposal, but instead focused on ensuring a ceasefire with guarantees for the delivery of aid.

“We agreed to the release of 10 captives, but the disagreement lies in the timing of the release,” al-Nono said.

He additionally reaffirmed Hamas' rejection of any attempts to legitimize the Israeli regime’s atrocities through negotiations and denounced the US for supporting the occupation’s vision. “We have dealt with the US to alleviate the suffering of our people, but the weapon of resistance is non-negotiable,” he added.

The developments came as the war and a simultaneous near-total siege deployed against Gaza by Tel Aviv continues to exact a heavy human and material toll on Gaza.

The warfare has already claimed the lives of around 54,400 Palestinians, mostly women and children, while the siege has seen the regime use starvation as, what human rights experts call, a weapon of war.

Source: Press TV