Hamas says 'No' to ceasefire proposal, accuses Israel of ignoring key demands: Hamas, a militant group in Gaza, has said 'No' to the latest proposal for a ceasefire. They accuse Israel of not paying attention to their main requests. These requests include stopping the war and pulling out completely from Gaza, according to AP news.
In a statement on Monday night, Hamas told the mediators that they are sticking to what they said before in March. They said Israel hasn't responded to their main demands, like stopping the fighting, leaving Gaza, letting people return home, and doing a real prisoner swap.
This statement came out shortly after the United Nations Security Council approved a resolution. The resolution asked for an immediate stop to the fighting and for releasing all prisoners held in Gaza.
This decision caused disagreement between Israel and the United States. The US didn't use its power to stop the resolution on Monday. Because of this, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, canceled a planned visit to Washington with a high-level group.
Netanyahu has said 'No' to Hamas' demands, calling them unrealistic. He promised to continue attacking Hamas even after releasing hostages until Hamas is destroyed.
Hamas is accused of holding about 100 Israelis and the remains of 30 others as hostages. This happened after around 1,200 people were killed in a sudden attack from Gaza militants on October 7, which started the conflict.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 32,000 people have died in the area, with over 74,000 injured. Most of those who died were women and children. Gaza's Health Ministry doesn't separate civilians from fighters in its count.
International aid groups say all 2.3 million people in Gaza are struggling to find food, and there could be a famine soon, especially in the north, which has been hit hardest.
UN Security Council Fails to Agree on Gaza Ceasefire; US Plan Vetoed by Russia and China
UK and Australia Urge Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza Amidst Diplomatic Pressure