From the Liveblog of
Saturday, May 31, 2025
PM’s office: Israel agreed to Witkoff’s truce proposal while Hamas ‘clings to its refusal’
Nava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.
The Prime Minister’s Office says in a statement that despite Israel agreeing to the latest hostage and ceasefire proposal from US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Hamas again refuses to agree to a deal.
“While Israel has agreed to the updated Witkoff framework for the release of our hostages, Hamas continues to cling to its refusal,” writes the PMO.
Hamas announced that it responded positively to the framework, while requesting several amendments be made.
Echoing Witkoff’s reply to Hamas’s response, the PMO says, “It is unacceptable and sets the process back.”
“Israel will continue its efforts to bring our hostages home and to defeat Hamas,” concludes the statement.
While Netanyahu told hostage families earlier this week that he principally backed Witkoff’s proposal — which his own confidant Ron Dermer signed off on before it was sent to Hamas — Israel’s cabinet had yet to vote on it and several members had expressed their opposition to it.
The Times of Israel Community.