The ceasefire attempt in Gaza has failed once more. Although Palestinian sources insisted that Hamas had accepted a proposal for a truce, the United States and Israel denied this. The version that Hamas claimed to accept was rejected by US envoy Steve Witkoff, who described it as unacceptable and untrue. It was also rejected by Israeli officials, who claimed that no government could accept such terms.
Israeli forces killed at least 36 people, mostly women and children, when they attacked a UN-run school in Gaza that was providing shelter to civilians amid the growing confusion surrounding peace proposals. As civilian casualties rise and diplomatic efforts stall, the war continues.
Hamas Claims Acceptance, US and Israel Deny
Palestinian sources reported that Hamas had agreed to a ceasefire plan supported by the United States. A 70-day ceasefire, a partial Israeli withdrawal, and the two-phase release of ten surviving hostages were purportedly included in the proposal.
Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy, swiftly denied these allegations. “What Hamas seemed to accept was not my proposal,” he said. Witkoff referred to the version as “completely unacceptable” and explained that the US’s actual proposal called for phased negotiations during the truce and called for a 60-day ceasefire rather than a 70-day one.
Israel also disputed the reported agreement’s validity. No responsible government could accept the terms that Hamas claimed to approve, officials told Reuters. Additionally, they maintained that the United States did not write or approve the plan that Hamas accepted.
Conflicting Proposals Stall Progress
Peace efforts have once again been halted by the parties’ lack of agreement. In reality, Witkoff’s plan calls for a 60-day ceasefire and the two-stage release of ten Israeli hostages. Negotiations for a permanent end to the conflict, Israeli military withdrawal, and the admission of humanitarian aid were anticipated to take place during this time.
A different version, however, with a longer ceasefire and more extensive withdrawals up front, is described in Palestinian reports. A diplomatic impasse has resulted from the inconsistency between the versions.
UN School Attack Adds to Crisis
Violence on the ground persists as negotiations break down. At least 36 Palestinians, mostly women and children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the UN-run shelter in Gaza, the Fahmi Al-Jarjawi school. Children were seen escaping the fire in the video. Numerous people were reportedly burned alive inside the school.
Israel justified the attack by saying it went after important militants from Islamic Jihad and Hamas who run a command center on the school’s property. Claims that the intended targets were civilians were rejected.
Human Toll Grows as War Drags On
The situation for civilians in Gaza is getting worse as ceasefire negotiations fall apart. Mistrust, poor communication, and resolute positions have caused numerous attempts at peace to fail. The recent deadly attack has only made the rift wider.
The road to resolving the Gaza conflict is still unclear and potentially fatal unless both parties agree on a specific, verifiable plan. Unless both sides align on a clear, verifiable proposal, the path to ending the Gaza war remains uncertain — and deadly.