Gaza: Israel Accepts U.S. Ceasefire Proposal, Hamas Reviewing as Fighting Continues

A new glimmer of hope for a truce in Gaza. Israel has given its approval to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire proposal, the White House announced on Thursday, May 29. The initiative, put forward by Donald Trump’s special Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, has been delivered to Hamas through Egyptian and Qatari mediators. The Islamist movement confirmed it had received the proposal and said it was reviewing it “responsibly,” aiming for a “permanent ceasefire” and “relief for the Palestinian people.”

Ceasefire Under Review Amid Relentless Violence

On Israel’s side, this endorsement comes as the war marks its 600th day, triggered by the unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,218 people in Israel, mostly civilians. According to Israeli authorities, 57 hostages remain in Gaza, at least 34 of whom are presumed dead.

While diplomatic talks show tentative progress, the violence on the ground persists. On Thursday, the Israeli army carried out fresh deadly strikes in Gaza, including on a residential building in the central city of Bureij, killing 23 people. At least 44 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours. The death toll among Palestinians has now surpassed 54,000, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures are considered credible by the United Nations.

Settlement Expansion Undermines Peace Efforts

Meanwhile, the Israeli government has approved the creation of 22 new settlements in the West Bank. The decision, announced by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, has sparked strong condemnation from the United Nations. “We oppose any expansion of settlements,” said UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, warning that this policy “leads us further away from the two-state solution.”

Tensions remain extremely high, despite the renewed push for diplomacy. Should Hamas accept the American plan, a temporary ceasefire could pave the way for new hostage releases and a long-awaited de-escalation, desperately needed by civilians caught between airstrikes and humanitarian shortages.