A senior Hamas official criticized the United States for treating Israel's demands as the "only response for negotiation," calling it a violation of "the integrity and fairness of mediation" in ceasefire talks.

The U.S. government is awaiting a response from Hamas to a U.S. ceasefire proposal in Israel, which the Israeli government has already accepted.

Hamas said it sought a permanent ceasefire and a withdrawal of the Israeli military, prompting a rebuke from Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy.

Hamas is seeking amendments to the latest U.S. ceasefire proposal for Gaza, a senior official with the group told The Associated Press on Saturday, but U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff called the Hamas response ''totally unacceptable.

Steve Witkoff stated in Washington on Wednesday that he has "some very good feelings about getting to a long-term resolution — a temporary ceasefire and a long-term resolution, a peaceful resolution of that conflict," adding that a new U.S. proposal would soon be presented to both parties.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s Mideast envoy expressed optimism about brokering an agreement to halt the Israel-Hamas war.

The U.N. food agency says Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have blocked and offloaded dozens of food trucks as desperation mounts following Israel’s monthslong blockade and airstrikes