Israel rejects key Hamas demands in ceasefire deal

31/7/2025 6:01

Israel has rejected three of Hamas's proposed changes to the Gaza ceasefire deal, according to Egyptian sources on Wednesday.

Egypt and Qatar have delivered Israel's response to Hamas, the sources told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. In the response, Israel refused to release Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the remains of Israeli captives held by Hamas, rejected a Hamas-proposed map for the re-deployment of Israeli forces in Gaza, and declined to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor, a key border strip between Gaza and Egypt.

Egypt and Qatar are currently trying to persuade Hamas to reconsider and amend some of its demands to save the negotiations, according to the sources.

Israel has been waging a large-scale war in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, which has killed 60,138 Palestinians, injured 146,269 others, and caused massive destruction, according to an update released by Gaza's health authorities on Wednesday.

The war followed a surprise attack launched by Hamas on southern Israel, which Israel says killed more than 1,200 people and captured 251 hostages.

Israel's continued military offensive in the Strip and its closure of border crossings have led to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with the UN saying that a widespread famine is taking place in the enclave. Negotiations over a new ceasefire deal have so far remained fruitless.