OP-ED: Hamas’s Reservations On Ceasefire Deal Effectively Negate Its Terms

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Maariv journalist Avi Ashkenazi explained that the Hamas response to the ceasefire contains so many caveats that it effectively negates the terms of the current initiative.

Ashkenazi wrote that “Hamas gave a “positive” response on Friday night to the ceasefire and hostage release proposal, under the framework of an “Improved Witkoff” outline. But in practice, this is not a moment to celebrate Hamas’ response, as it came with three reservations that effectively amount to a negative answer.

“Hamas, it appears, has neither backed down nor blinked. It continues to negotiate as if it’s not under pressure. If Hamas’ reservations are accepted, it would be considered a resounding failure of the IDF’s recent military operation in Gaza, known as “Chariots of Gideon.” This would allow Hamas to recover, and across the Middle East, it would be interpreted as a victory for Hamas.

“There is nothing truly new in Hamas’ response—only the packaging is different. In its reservations, Hamas demands the following:

• Cessation of fighting and withdrawal of IDF forces to the lines where it operated until the last ceasefire and the start of the current IDF maneuver.
• Introduction of humanitarian aid through Hamas-controlled channels—the second reservation.
• A U.S. guarantee that Israel will not be able to resume fighting after the 60-day ceasefire period—the third reservation.

“This response from Hamas is not different from previous responses it has sent to Israel. Essentially, it presents itself as standing firm and planning for the long term—to remain the dominant power in Gaza even in the “day after” scenario. It positions itself for future negotiations while weakening Israel and removing its leverage for the second and third phases of the proposed deal, which involve the release of ten living hostages and the rest of the deceased.

“Israel has previously rejected this type of response from Hamas. It is currently highly doubtful that Israel can afford to accept Hamas’ answer—even as a basis for negotiations.

“Israel must now conduct a renewed assessment of its actions in Gaza over the past nearly two years. It must examine which pressure tactics were actually effective against Hamas.

On the surface, it appears Israel is missing a critical move—not just in its operations in Gaza, but also at the negotiating table. If Israel accepts Hamas’ reservations, it would be a mistake to conduct the hostage and body release process in stages, because in this situation, Hamas has no incentive to follow through with the second and third phases of the deal.