Qatar and Egypt have received Hamas’s response to the latest ceasefire proposal, the Qatari Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday.
The ministry did not provide many details about Hamas’s response, though the statement said both Qatar and Egypt “confirm that their joint mediation efforts with the United States of America will continue until an agreement is reached, and that the mediators will examine the response and coordinate with the parties concerned regarding the next steps.”
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby confirmed the U.S. was aware that Hamas had replied but did not provide details.
“We are evaluating it right now,” he said. “It’s certainly helpful that we have a response.”
Kirby also noted that in the past, when Hamas mediators reach out to the Egyptian and Qatari mediators, they have done so with the approval of military leader Yahya Sinwar.
Shortly after the announcement, Axios reported that Hamas had rejected the proposal, citing two anonymous Israeli officials, while the Times of Israel reported that an Israeli official said, “This evening, Israel received, via the mediator, the Hamas response. In its response, Hamas has rejected the proposal for a hostage release that was presented by President Biden.”
It’s unclear how soon a ceasefire could commence if Hamas and Israel agree to the deal.
President Joe Biden first publicized the deal that’s currently on the table on May 31. The first of three phases would last roughly six weeks and would include the cessation of fighting, the release of female Israeli hostages held by Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza, the release of thousands of Palestinians detained in Israel, a surge of humanitarian aid, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas in Gaza.
The second phase of the deal would include the release of the remaining hostages as well as the withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza, though many of the details have not yet been finalized. Mediators would work through what the second phase will look like during the first phase.
There have been several instances where both sides were seemingly close to a ceasefire deal, but those attempts have failed.
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Sinwar is believed to be hiding in Hamas’s underground tunnel system that permeates Gaza and he has eluded Israeli forces since the war began. He recently told Hamas officials about a ceasefire deal, “We have the Israelis right where we want them,” according to the Wall Street Journal.
Hamas has repeatedly said it wants a permanent ceasefire, while Israeli leaders repeatedly said they would refuse any deal that would allow Hamas to continue to exist and eventually reconstitute.