Hamas has opened the door wide to the possibility of a cease-fire agreement in Gaza

 Hamas has opened the door wide to the possibility of a cease-fire agreement in Gaza

Getty Images

Hamas has said its "positive" response to the US ceasefire plan in the Gaza Strip has opened a "wider path" to a deal.

According to Reuters news agency, however, the situation remains uncertain as neither the Palestinian group nor Israel has made a public statement about reaching an agreement.

Hamas on Tuesday submitted its official response to the mediators on the proposal presented by US President Joe Biden on May 31.

Israel said the response amounted to a rejection, while a Hamas official said the Palestinian group merely reiterated that long-standing demands were not met under the current plan.

Egypt and Qatar said they had received a response from Hamas but did not disclose its details.

Meanwhile, an Israeli official has said that his country has received a response from Hamas through mediators regarding the ceasefire in Gaza, in which the Palestinian organization has "changed all the important and meaningful parameters."

The Israeli official said on condition of anonymity that Hamas "rejected the proposal to release the hostages that was presented by President Biden."

Earlier, a non-Israeli official familiar with the details of the matter said on condition of anonymity that Hamas has proposed a new timeline for a permanent ceasefire with Israel and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, including Rafah.

The United Nations Security Council on Monday passed a US resolution supporting President Biden's proposal.

Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zahri told Reuters on Tuesday that his organization had accepted the Security Council resolution and was ready to discuss the details of the ceasefire.

He spoke before the mediators received the Palestinian group's response.

Senior Hamas official Sami Abu al-Zahri said that "now the real test of the American administration is to force the occupation to immediately stop the war in accordance with the Security Council resolution."

In a joint statement Tuesday, Hamas and its Palestinian ally Islamic Jihad expressed their 'positive willingness' to reach an agreement to end the war in Gaza, which some interpreted as an acceptance of President Biden's proposal. What did

US Secretary of State Anthony Blanken, meeting with Israeli officials in Tel Aviv, called it a "sign of hope" but said it was not final.

"The statement coming from Gaza and the Hamas leadership there is important," Blanken told reporters in Tel Aviv. Because that's what matters, and it hasn't reached us yet.'