Palestinian official claims Hamas accepts Gaza ceasefire deal; US envoy Steve Witkoff, Israel dispute it: Report

 Palestinian official said on Monday that the terrorist group has agreed to a ceasefire proposal attributed to US special envoy Steve Witkoff — a claim dismissed by both an Israel official and Witkoff himself, according to a report.

The offer included a 70-day truce, release of 10 Israeli hostages in two batches, partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the freeing of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners serving long sentences, Reuters reported citing a source as saying.

“The proposal includes the release of 10 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas in two groups in return for a 70-day ceasefire and a partial withdrawal from the Gaza Strip,” the news outlet quoted a source as saying.

Hamas offers full hostage release for full Israeli pullout

Hamas has continued to express willingness to release all remaining hostages captured during its October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel—if Israel agrees to a complete withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire.

Netanyahu insists on Hamas’s defeat
 

Israel’s military operations in Gaza have escalated sharply since early May, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirming that the campaign will only end when “Israel has full control over Gaza.”

Netanyahu reiterated that any ceasefire must be temporary and tied to hostage releases, stressing that the war will not end until Hamas is eradicated.

Israeli airstrikes kill 45 in Gaza

At least 45 Palestinians were killed on Monday in a series of Israeli airstrikes across Gaza, according to local health officials. A particularly deadly strike targeted a school in Gaza City where displaced families, including women and children, had sought shelter.

Medics at the scene said at least 30 people died in the school strike. Graphic images shared on social media showed charred bodies being pulled from rubble, underscoring the devastating impact of the blast.

Additional strike kills 15 in Jabalia

In another incident, an Israeli airstrike hit a residential building in Jabalia, just north of Gaza City, killing at least 15 people. Medical responders said the victims included families who had been unable to evacuate due to ongoing fighting and lack of safe corridors.

Humanitarian toll grows

The renewed offensive has compressed Gaza’s already displaced population into ever-shrinking safe zones, especially around coastal areas and the southern city of Khan Younis.

Since the start of the conflict on October 7, 2023—when Hamas-led fighters killed approximately 1,200 Israelis—the death toll in Gaza has surged past 53,000, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The majority of the casualties are believed to be civilians.