Mediators have reportedly reached out to the head of Hamas’s military wing in Gaza, who has signaled his rejection of Washington’s latest ceasefire proposal, the BBC understands.
Izz al-Din al-Haddad is said to view the plan as a trap intended to dismantle Hamas regardless of whether the group accepts it, making him determined to continue the fight.
The proposal, outlined in a 20-point framework by US President Donald Trump and already accepted by Israel, demands that Hamas disarm and play no role in Gaza’s future governance.
While some members of Hamas’s political bureau based in Qatar are believed to be open to negotiating modifications, their leverage has been undercut by their lack of control over the hostages.
Intelligence suggests that 48 hostages remain in Gaza, but only around 20 are thought to be alive.
A major sticking point for Hamas is that the plan requires all captives to be released within the first 72 hours of the ceasefire, surrendering their most valuable bargaining tool.
Despite Trump’s assurances that Israel would respect the deal, mistrust runs deep within Hamas.
Leaders fear Israel could resume military operations once the hostages are freed, particularly after an Israeli airstrike in Doha last month allegedly targeted Hamas leaders in defiance of the US.
Another issue for Hamas is the provision calling for “a temporary International Stabilisation Force” made up of US and Arab troops to be deployed in Gaza, which they regard as another form of occupation.
The plan also includes phased Israeli troop withdrawals, but a US-issued map shows a “security buffer zone” along Gaza’s borders with Egypt and Israel.
How this would be managed remains unclear, but any role for Israel is expected to spark resistance.
Even on the Israeli side, consensus is fragile. Since announcing support for the plan on Monday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has contradicted some of its terms.
In a video message shared on X, Netanyahu asserted that Israeli forces would continue operating in parts of Gaza and reiterated that Israel would “forcibly resist” the creation of a Palestinian state.
That stance directly clashes with the US framework, which requires Israel to fully withdraw, except for a limited security perimeter, until Gaza is deemed secure from renewed militant threats.
The framework also envisions a “credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood” once it is implemented.
For its part, Hamas has consistently maintained it will not disarm unless an independent Palestinian state is formally recognized.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza began after the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which left about 1,200 people dead and 251 taken hostage.
Since then, at least 66,225 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes, according to figures from Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
