People walk among destroyed buildings in Gaza, as viewed from the Israel-Gaza border, March 20, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
Hamas Reviews U.S. Proposal to Restore Gaza Ceasefire Amid Intensified Israeli Military Onslaught
Hamas announced on Friday that it was reviewing a U.S. proposal aimed at restoring the Gaza ceasefire, as Israel intensified its military actions to press the Palestinian militant group to release the remaining Israeli hostages. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff’s “bridge” plan, presented last week, proposes extending the ceasefire into April, beyond the holidays of Ramadan and Passover, to allow for negotiations toward a permanent cessation of hostilities.
Israeli Military Intensifies Air, Land, and Sea Strikes
Three days after Israel effectively abandoned the two-month-old truce, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed that the military had intensified its strikes. The onslaught, which includes air, land, and sea attacks, is aimed at further pressuring Hamas to free more hostages and to secure the group’s total defeat. Katz announced that civilians would be relocated to the southern part of Gaza, and military operations would continue until Hamas releases hostages and is fully defeated. This escalation followed significant airstrikes that killed several high-ranking Hamas officials, including the Gaza government chief.
Despite these losses, sources from both Palestinian and Israeli sides claim that Hamas has demonstrated resilience, continuing its operations and governance in Gaza despite severe setbacks.
Hamas Reviews Proposals for Hostage Releases and Military Withdrawal
Hamas stated that it is still deliberating on Witkoff’s proposal and other potential solutions, including those focused on prisoner releases, ending the ongoing war, and securing a full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza. A Palestinian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that Egypt had also proposed a bridging plan, which Hamas is yet to respond to. Details of the Egyptian proposal remain undisclosed, though sources suggest that it includes a timeline for the release of hostages alongside a full Israeli pullout from Gaza, with U.S. guarantees.
Resumption of Hostilities and the Humanitarian Impact
The ceasefire’s first phase ended earlier this month, and despite initial hopes for an agreement on the second phase, Israel and Hamas could not reach consensus. As a result, Israeli military action resumed, causing a resurgence in violence. Following the breakdown of the truce, many Gazans have once again been forced to flee their homes as Israel launched a new round of intensive air and ground strikes, accompanied by a halt in aid deliveries.
Katz emphasized that the longer Hamas refuses to release hostages, the more territory it would lose. Of the more than 250 hostages taken by Hamas in its October 2023 attack on Israel, 59 remain in Gaza, with 24 believed to still be alive.
U.S. Blames Hamas for Resumption of Hostilities
In the wake of the resumption of hostilities, the United States has placed blame for the renewed violence squarely on Hamas. Acting U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea addressed the U.N. Security Council, asserting that Hamas was fully responsible for the continuation of the conflict. She stated that the death toll would have been significantly lower had Hamas accepted the U.S. bridge proposal presented earlier.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens in Gaza
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. The United Nations’ Palestinian relief agency, UNRWA, reported that it only has enough flour to distribute for the next six days. The blockade imposed by Israel has also led to a rise in the prices of fuel and essential foods, forcing many residents to ration their meals. Sam Rose, an UNRWA official, stated that six of 25 bakeries supported by the World Food Programme had been forced to close, exacerbating the food shortage. The lack of supplies entering Gaza has reversed much of the progress made during the brief ceasefire, leading to an alarming humanitarian crisis.
Background to the Conflict
The conflict between Israel and Hamas escalated in October 2023 after Hamas militants launched an attack on Israeli communities near the Gaza border, killing approximately 1,200 Israelis. In retaliation, Israeli forces have conducted widespread military operations in Gaza, resulting in significant casualties. According to Gaza’s health authorities, over 49,000 Palestinians have been killed during the ongoing conflict, and much of Gaza has been left in ruins.
The war has continued to fuel regional tensions, with the international community calling for urgent steps toward a ceasefire and long-term resolution to the hostilities.
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