Netanyahu Labels Hamas Ceasefire Proposal as ‘Delusional,’ While Blinken Sees Potential for Progress, Reports Reuters

By Samia Nakhoul, Andrew Mills, Nidal al-Mughrabi, and Humeyra Pamuk

DOHA/TEL AVIV (Reuters) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday dismissed Hamas’ latest proposal for a ceasefire and the return of hostages from the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken indicated that there could still be opportunities for negotiation towards an agreement.

Hamas, the militant group in control of Gaza, suggested a ceasefire lasting four and a half months, during which all hostages would be released, Israeli troops would withdraw from Gaza, and an agreement would be sought to end the ongoing war.

This offer was a reaction to a previous proposal composed by U.S. and Israeli intelligence leaders and presented to Hamas last week by mediators from Qatar and Egypt. Netanyahu characterized Hamas’ demands as "delusional," reasserting his commitment to dismantling the group entirely, stating that Israel’s only viable path forward was to ensure the total collapse of Hamas.

"The day after is the day after Hamas. All of Hamas," Netanyahu said during a press conference, emphasizing that achieving total victory against Hamas was the sole solution to the four-month-long conflict in Gaza. He asserted that ongoing military pressure was crucial for the release of hostages.

Blinken’s remarks after meeting with Netanyahu suggested that negotiating a truce was still feasible. He recognized that while some of Hamas’ proposals were unacceptable, there remained opportunities to pursue a resolution. "We also see space in what came back to pursue negotiations, to see if we can get to an agreement. That’s what we intend to do," he stated at a late-night press briefing in Tel Aviv.

On Tuesday, Blinken met with the leaders of Qatar and Egypt and then with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Wednesday.

Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior official in Hamas, referred to Netanyahu’s comments as "political bravado," indicating that they reflected the Israeli leader’s intention to continue the conflict. Another Hamas official, Osama Hamdan, announced that a Hamas delegation, led by Khalil Al-Hayya, would travel to Cairo for ceasefire discussions with Qatari and Egyptian mediators, while urging Palestinian factions to maintain their resistance.

Israel’s military offensive began after Hamas carried out an attack on October 7, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the abduction of 253 hostages in southern Israel. The health ministry in Gaza has reported at least 27,585 Palestinian deaths, with many more believed to be trapped under debris. Thus far, there has been only one truce, which lasted a week at the end of November.

HAMAS PROPOSES THREE-PHASE TRUCE

Israel previously declared it would not withdraw its troops or cease military operations until Hamas was defeated. However, sources involved in the negotiations indicated that Hamas is now proposing a new three-phase approach to ending the conflict, suggesting this as a point for future discussions rather than a precondition for a truce.

According to the document outlining the proposal:

• In the first 45 days, all Israeli women hostages, men under 19, and the elderly and sick would be released in exchange for Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons. Israel would also pull back its troops from populated areas in Gaza.
• The second phase would only begin after indirect talks finalize the terms for ceasing mutual military operations and restoring calm.
• The second phase would include the release of remaining male hostages and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The final phase would involve the exchange of remains of deceased individuals.

The U.S. has positioned the hostage release and ceasefire deal as part of a broader strategy to address the Middle East conflict, aiming for reconciliation between Israel and its Arab neighbors and the establishment of a Palestinian state. Netanyahu, however, opposes the idea of a Palestinian state, which Saudi Arabia has stated is necessary for the normalization of relations with Israel.

As Israel focuses on capturing Khan Younis, the main city in southern Gaza, there are plans to assault Rafah. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that this move could "exponentially increase what is already a humanitarian nightmare with untold regional consequences."

The Israeli military claimed to have eliminated dozens of militants in recent clashes, yet these assertions have not been independently verified. In Rafah, located along Gaza’s southern border with Egypt, the bodies of ten individuals killed by Israeli strikes were displayed in a hospital morgue. Among the deceased, at least two victims appeared to be children, prompting deep mourning from relatives.

Bob Kitchen, vice president of emergencies at the International Rescue Committee, stated that an Israeli advance into Rafah could sever vital humanitarian support from Egypt. "If they aren’t killed in the fighting, Palestinian children, women, and men will be at risk of dying by starvation or disease," he warned.

Palestinian health authorities reported that another Israeli airstrike claimed three lives in a Rafah home on Wednesday. Among the casualties was a senior Palestinian police officer and Hamas member, Majdi Abdel-Al, who was killed in an airstrike on a vehicle intended to secure aid deliveries in Rafah.