Hamas Shuts Down Israeli Ceasefire and Hostage Deal Over Disarmament Demands

Hamas has turned down Israel’s latest ceasefire offer and a deal for the return of nearly a dozen hostages, with the sticking point being Israel’s demand for Hamas to lay down its arms. After 556 days of hostages held in Gaza, the group made it clear through leader Abu Zuhri that surrendering weapons is "a million red lines" that they won’t even entertain discussing.

While Hamas hasn’t made an official statement, sources suggest the Israeli proposal included a 45-day ceasefire, a resumption of humanitarian aid (which has been blocked since early March), release of 11 hostages, and, crucially, the disarmament of Hamas. Anyone who thought Hamas would go for that last part must have a vivid imagination—disarmament is a nonstarter for them.

Israel currently believes 24 of the 59 hostages in Gaza are still alive. Among them is American-Israeli Edan Alexander, who appeared in a new proof-of-life video released by Hamas on the eve of Passover. However, Hamas claimed on Tuesday that it lost contact with the soldiers guarding Alexander and blamed Israeli strikes for the situation, though no evidence of such a strike has been offered. This isn’t the first time Hamas has pointed fingers at Israel for hostages’ fates without providing proof.

Israeli authorities and Alexander’s family haven’t confirmed Hamas’ claims, and official channels remain silent for now.

For those following the negotiations, the breakdown isn’t exactly unexpected. Mediators were already expressing doubts, noting that Israel’s deal didn’t include a withdrawal of forces from Gaza and required Hamas to give up its weapons—terms that would be a tough pill for any armed group to swallow.

Frustration among mediators has grown, especially since Israel resumed military operations across Gaza last month when a previous truce ended and a second phase to free more hostages failed. Over the weekend, Israel extended its control further in the Gaza Strip, capturing new territory in the south—especially areas along the Philadelphia Corridor and the Morag axis, effectively cutting off parts of Rafah and southern Gaza from Khan Younis.

Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that these areas now form a buffer zone controlled by Israeli forces. He added that large portions of Gaza are now security zones, forcing hundreds of thousands to evacuate combat areas. Katz made it clear: "The main goal is to exert heavy pressure on Hamas to return to talks for releasing the abductees. Gaza will become smaller and more isolated, and more and more of its residents will be forced to evacuate the combat zones."