Senior Hamas official told the BBC that Palestinian armed groups will reject U.S. proposals for a latest Gaza ceasefire and hostage release agreement.

The White House said on Thursday that Israel had “signed” in the plans of U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, and it is awaiting a formal response from Hamas.

Israeli media quoted Israeli officials as saying that Hamas will grant ten live hostages and 18 bodies to the bodies in two phases in exchange for a 60-day ceasefire and release Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.

Hamas officials said the proposal did not meet core requirements, including ending the war and responding in due course.

The Israeli government has not commented, but Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly told the hostage family on Thursday that he accepted Witkoff's plan.

Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza and launched a military offensive on Hamas on March 18, following a two-month ceasefire collapse caused by the United States, Qatar and Egypt.

It said it wanted to put pressure on Hamas to release the 58 hostages that are still in possession, and at least 20 people are believed to be alive.

On May 19, the Israeli military launched an expanded offensive, and Netanyahu said the troops would "control all areas of Gaza." He said the next day, Israel will also ease the lockdown and include "basic" food in Gaza to prevent famine.

According to the Hamas-Operation Ministry of Operations in the region, nearly 4,000 people have been killed in Gaza in the past 10 weeks.

Another 600,000 people were once again displaced by Israel’s ground operations and evacuation orders, while the unsupported IPC report warns that about 500,000 people face catastrophic levels of hunger in the coming months.

During a press conference in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked whether it could confirm a report from Saudi Arabia-owned Al-Arabiya TV station, saying Israel and Hamas agreed to a new ceasefire agreement.

She said: “I can confirm that the envoy Vidov and the President submitted a ceasefire proposal to Hamas, which Israel supports and supports.

She added: "I can also confirm that these discussions are continuing and we hope that the ceasefire in Gaza will take place so that we can return all hostages home."

But senior Hamas officials later said the agreement contradicted previous discussions between the group’s negotiators and Vikov.

The official told the BBC the offer did not include guarantees that a temporary truce would result in a permanent ceasefire, nor would it include the return of a humanitarian agreement that would allow hundreds of aid trucks to enter Gaza every day during the last ceasefire.

Nevertheless, he said Hamas remained in touch with the mediator and submitted its written response when appropriate.

Earlier, Israel's 12th TV reported on Netanyahu to the hostages' families at a meeting: "We agree to accept the latest Witkov plan conveyed to us tonight. Hamas has not responded yet. We do not believe that Hamas will release the last hostage until all hostages are in our hands."

Later, his office issued a statement accusing a reporter from the channel of trying to "smuggle" the recording equipment into a room where the meeting was held. But that does not deny that he has agreed to the US proposal.

Netanyahu has previously said that Israel will end the war only when all hostages are released and Hamas is either destroyed or disarmed, and its leaders have been sent to exile.

Hamas said it was ready to return all captured people in exchange for the complete end of the hostilities and withdraw from all Israel in Gaza.

Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza on October 7, 2023 in response to Hamas' cross-border attacks, in which about 1,200 people were killed and another 251 were taken hostage.

Four other people were captured in Gaza before the conflict.

So far, Israel has received 197 hostages, 148 of which are alive, mainly through two temporary ceasefire deals with Hamas.

According to the region's Ministry of Health, at least 54,249 people were killed in Gaza during the war, including 3,986 since Israel resumed its offensive.

At least 54 people were killed on strike Thursday, according to a civil defense agency operated by Hamas. It said they included 23 people who died when a house in the central Brey area was hit.

The Israeli military said that over the past day, it encountered "dozens of terror targets."