Hamas Rejects Trump’s Gaza Ceasefire Plan Amid Escalating Conflict

Hamas has stated that it has not received the Gaza ceasefire plan proposed by US President Donald Trump. This announcement comes as Israeli forces intensified their military operations in Gaza City. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Hamas was willing, in principle, to release all Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops, contingent upon Trump’s plan.

The proposed framework reportedly includes the end of Hamas’s governance in Gaza, alongside Israel’s commitment not to annex the territory or displace its Palestinian residents. A Hamas official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to Reuters, “Hamas has not been presented with any plan.”

Trump commented on the ongoing negotiations, stating, “It’s looking like we have a deal on Gaza,” but did not disclose specific details or a timeline. Israel has yet to respond publicly to Trump’s remarks. A meeting between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled for Monday. Netanyahu leads a hard-right coalition that opposes any cessation of hostilities until Hamas is dismantled.

Intensifying Military Operations

Fighting in Gaza continues unabated. The Israeli military reported that its aircraft struck 120 targets across the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours, with ground troops advancing further into Gaza City. The Palestinian Health Ministry indicated that 74 individuals were killed during this period.

The United Nations World Food Programme estimated that between 350,000 and 400,000 Palestinians have fled their homes since the start of Israel’s expanded ground offensive. Despite this, hundreds of thousands of residents remain in the city.

Health Services in Crisis

The humanitarian situation worsens as medical facilities face severe challenges. Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres announced it had suspended operations in Gaza City due to encirclement by Israeli forces. This suspension jeopardizes the care of vulnerable populations, including infants in neonatal units and patients with life-threatening conditions.

In March alone, four health facilities in Gaza City have closed, as reported by the World Health Organization. Furthermore, the UN has indicated that several malnutrition centers have also ceased operations.

The conflict, which escalated significantly nearly two years ago following a Hamas attack that resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the taking of 251 hostages, has resulted in over 65,000 Palestinian deaths according to Gaza’s health authorities. The ongoing violence has displaced the entire population of Gaza and severely damaged the territory’s healthcare infrastructure.

A global hunger monitor has indicated that famine conditions are emerging in parts of Gaza. Multiple human rights experts have described Israel’s actions in the ongoing conflict as tantamount to genocide, a claim that Israel strongly denies, asserting that its military actions are acts of self-defense.

In the midst of these escalating tensions, Trump emphasized that discussions with leaders from various Muslim-majority nations would continue as necessary, indicating the complexity of the regional dynamics surrounding the conflict.