Israel Weighs Response to Hamas Ceasefire Offer

Security Cabinet to convene as **Netanyahu** prepares for **Trump** talks.

After **Hamas** announced its readiness to immediately discuss a US-backed Gaza ceasefire proposal, Israel is considering its next move, potentially paving the way to de-escalate almost two years of conflict.

Hamas Signals Openness to Negotiations

**Hamas** announced late Friday that it was prepared to “engage immediately and seriously in a cycle of negotiations on the mechanism to put in place” the proposed truce, following consultations with other Palestinian factions.

According to sources familiar with the discussions, the proposal involves a 60-day truce. During this period, **Hamas** would release ten living hostages and some bodies in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

However, **Hamas** is also seeking guarantees regarding Israel’s withdrawal, assurances against renewed fighting during negotiations, and the restoration of the UN-led aid distribution system.

**Hamas** ally Islamic Jihad voiced support for ceasefire talks, also emphasizing the need for guarantees that Israel “will not resume its aggression” after hostages are released.

Trump’s Reaction

When asked about **Hamas’s** response aboard Air Force One, **President Trump** stated, “That’s good. They haven’t briefed me on it. We have to get it over with. We have to do something about Gaza.”

US-Backed Aid Group Under Fire

The **Gaza** Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US- and Israel-backed organization, has faced challenges in its food distribution efforts. The group reported that two of its US staff members were injured in what it described as a “targeted terrorist attack” on one of its aid centers in southern Gaza.

The organization stated the attack, which occurred during food distribution activities in Khan Yunis, involved “two assailants who threw two grenades at the Americans.”

Several UN agencies and major aid organizations have declined to collaborate with the GHF, citing concerns that it serves Israeli military objectives. According to the World Food Programme, conflict, limited humanitarian access, and logistical constraints continue to impede efforts to provide food assistance to people in Gaza (WFP, 2024).

**Johnnie Moore**, chairman of GHF, has rejected calls for UN agencies to resume the lead role in Gaza aid distribution, saying “We will not be shut down. We have one job to do. It’s very simple, every day to provide free food to the people of Gaza.”

Casualties Mount Amid Ongoing Conflict

Civil defence spokesman **Mahmud Bassal** reported that Israeli military operations resulted in 35 deaths across Gaza on Saturday.

According to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures, the **Hamas** attack in October 2023 led to the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians.

The Hamas-run territory’s health ministry reports that Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed at least 57,338 people in Gaza, the majority of whom were also civilians. The United Nations considers these figures to be generally reliable.

The ongoing conflict, now entering its 21st month, has created critical humanitarian conditions for over two million residents of the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli security cabinet is expected to convene after sundown to discuss these developments, coinciding with **Prime Minister Netanyahu’s** planned trip to Washington for talks with **President Trump** on Monday.