Gaza Cease-Fire Hopes Fade as Hamas and Israel Clash Over Truce Terms

Nearly 20 months into the Gaza war, cease-fire negotiations between Israel and Hamas remain deadlocked over a persistent divide: Hamas seeks a permanent truce to maintain its influence in postwar Gaza, while Israel demands a temporary pause to resume its campaign against the group.

Despite renewed mediation efforts led by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, alongside Egypt and Qatar, the latest talks collapsed after Hamas pushed for guarantees that a 60-day cease-fire would lead to a permanent end to hostilities.

Israel, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, rejected the proposal as a step backward, leaving little hope for an immediate breakthrough.

Core Dispute Stymies Negotiations

The central issue continues to thwart mediators, including former U.S. negotiators William J. Burns and Brett McGurk, and now Witkoff under President Donald Trump.

Hamas proposed a clause ensuring ongoing negotiations toward a permanent agreement, which would effectively extend the cease-fire indefinitely. Israel, however, views such an amendment as undermining its goal to dismantle Hamas militarily.

Netanyahu called Hamas’s demands unacceptable, while Witkoff urged the group to soften its stance, suggesting talks could resume this week if progress is made.

Hamas responded by affirming its readiness for indirect negotiations but reiterated its demand for a permanent cease-fire and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

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Humanitarian Crisis Deepens Amid Stalemate

As negotiations stall, the ongoing conflict disproportionately affects Gaza's civilians. The Gaza health ministry reports over 4,000 Palestinian deaths since fighting resumed in March 2025, including at least 10 killed in a strike on a home in Jabaliya on June 2. The Israeli military, targeting Hamas operatives, acknowledged strikes on terror targets but provided no specifics.

Recent displacement orders have confined civilians to a narrow coastal strip in southern Gaza, exacerbating food shortages and chaos in a new Israeli-backed aid distribution system.

Updates indicate rising desperation, with looting and Hamas’s weakening control signaling internal pressures that could push the group toward a temporary truce to stabilize its position.

Did You Know?
Since October 2023, over 1.9 million Palestinians in Gaza, roughly 90% of the population, have been displaced at least once due to Israeli military operations.

Political Pressures and Military Fatigue

The U.S. plays a pivotal role, with Trump’s pressure previously securing a temporary truce in January 2025, which Netanyahu later broke after consultations with the White House.

Israeli officials have hinted at accepting a permanent truce if Hamas disarms and its leaders leave Gaza, but Hamas has rejected exile and remains divided on disarmament. In Israel, Netanyahu’s coalition risks collapse if he ends the war, yet the military, reliant on reservists, faces growing exhaustion.

Many reservists, absent from families and jobs for nearly two years, may resist prolonged service, complicating Israel’s ability to sustain large-scale operations. Recent reports suggest recruitment challenges could force a strategic shift if the conflict drags on.