The White House said Thursday that the U.S. has submitted a new Gaza ceasefire proposal that has Israeli support. Hamas officials gave the Israeli-approved draft a cool response, but said they wanted to study the proposal more closely before giving a formal answer.

Israel and Gaza peace talks are caught between U.S. pressure and escalating civilian deaths, the latest ceasefire proposal lays bare the fragility of diplomacy in a war shaped by mutual distrust, shifting red lines,

Egyptian mediation efforts, says it’s ready to negotiate disputed points to end humanitarian crisis and achieve permanent ceasefire - Anadolu Ajansı

Hamas said it sought a permanent ceasefire and a withdrawal of the Israeli military, prompting a rebuke from Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy.

A senior Hamas official criticized the United States for treating Israel's demands as the "only response for negotiation," calling it a violation of "the integrity and fairness of mediation" in ceasefire talks.

Steve Witkoff stated in Washington on Wednesday that he has "some very good feelings about getting to a long-term resolution — a temporary ceasefire and a long-term resolution, a peaceful resolution of that conflict," adding that a new U.S. proposal would soon be presented to both parties.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s Mideast envoy expressed optimism about brokering an agreement to halt the Israel-Hamas war.

The latest friction in negotiations comes as the fighting nears 20 months of war, and as desperation grows among hungry Palestinians and relatives of hostages in Gaza.

The recent Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar have not led anywhere yet, the Qatari prime minister said Tuesday, citing a "fundamental gap" between the two parties.

Hamas wants a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire, terms U.S. and Israeli officials have rejected as unacceptable.