Hamas Says It Accepts Biden Ceasefire Deal Without 'New' Israel Conditions

Amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, Hamas has agreed to the ceasefire proposal presented by the United States, but remains opposed to what the group argues are "new conditions" added by Israel, according to a statement shared with Newsweek.

The statement, attributed to senior Hamas official and spokesperson Basem Naim, recounted the Islamic Palestinian movement's initial positive reaction to a three-phase plan first outlined by President Joe Biden on May 31. However, Naim argued Israel instead sought to double down on its 10-month war effort in Gaza and impose new demands, leading to another potential impasse in talks that U.S. officials claimed saw a breakthrough earlier on Monday.

The conflict began with a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, that Israeli officials estimate left about 1,200 people dead and around 240 more taken hostage, around half of whom are believed to remain in captivity. The Gaza Health Ministry has estimated that approximately 40,000 have been killed in the densely populated territory throughout the war that ensued.