Hamas Says Ready for Gaza Ceasefire Talks 'Immediately'

A general view shows destruction in North Gaza, as seen from Israel, May 27, 2025

Hamas announced on Friday that it is prepared to begin ceasefire negotiations "immediately," as Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza killed more than 50 people, according to the local civil defence agency.

The announcement followed internal consultations among Palestinian factions and came ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming visit to Washington, where U.S. President Donald Trump has been pressing for an end to the nearly 21-month-long war.

Hamas said it was ready to “engage immediately and seriously” with mediators on a U.S.-backed draft proposal for a ceasefire.

Islamic Jihad, an armed group aligned with Hamas, also expressed support for negotiations but insisted on “guarantees” that Israel would not resume its offensive after hostages were released.

The conflict erupted on 7 October 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, triggering a large-scale Israeli military campaign aimed at dismantling the group and recovering hostages.

Two previous ceasefires, brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the U.S., temporarily halted fighting and enabled the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.

Netanyahu reiterated on Friday his commitment to bringing all hostages home, amid mounting pressure from Israeli families and political allies.

“I feel a deep commitment, first and foremost, to ensure the return of all our abductees,” he said.

President Trump also addressed the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, saying, “They’ve gone through hell,” and called for the safety of its people.

According to a Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations, the current proposal includes a 60-day truce during which Hamas would release around half of the surviving Israeli hostages—believed to number 22—in return for the release of Palestinian prisoners.

Out of the 251 hostages taken during the October 2023 attack, 49 remain in captivity, with 27 presumed dead, according to the Israeli military.

Nearly two years of war have created dire conditions for Gaza’s population of over two million. The Israeli military reported operations across the enclave, including in Gaza City, Khan Yunis, and Rafah.

Gaza civil defence official Mohammad al-Mughayyir said at least 52 people were killed on Friday in Israeli strikes and gunfire, including several near aid distribution sites in Rafah and central Gaza.

The Israeli military said it was reviewing reports of civilian casualties and requested details on specific incidents. Restrictions on media access make independent verification difficult.

Among those killed was a 19-year-old Israeli sergeant, confirmed by the military to have died in combat in southern Gaza.

Mughayyir reported that five people were shot while waiting for aid near a U.S.-run site, and more were killed in separate strikes on coastal camps, including children.

At Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, families mourned 16 people killed on Thursday near another aid centre.

“I lost my brother in the American distribution centre that was supposed to feed people,” said mourner Narmin Abu Muammar. “They are killing people, not feeding them.”

Medical charity Doctors Without Borders said one of its former staff, Abdullah Hammad, was among the dead. He is the 12th MSF worker killed since the war began.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, run by U.S. and Israeli authorities, denied responsibility for the deadly incidents near its sites.

Airstrikes also hit tent camps housing displaced people. Mughayyir said eight people, including a child, were killed near Khan Yunis, while two other strikes on coastal camps killed another eight, including two children.

The Israeli military stated it was operating throughout Gaza to dismantle Hamas’s remaining military infrastructure.

The initial Hamas attack killed 1,219 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to Israeli data. In response, Israel’s military campaign has killed at least 57,268 people in Gaza—also mostly civilians—according to the territory’s health ministry. The UN regards these figures as credible.