The ambitious U.S.-led peace plan for Gaza has hit a formidable obstacle, with the military commander of Hamas in Gaza, Ezz al-Din al-Hadad, outright rejecting the proposal and vowing to continue the war. The defiant message, relayed to mediators, deals a severe blow to diplomatic efforts and highlights a critical schism between the group’s armed wing inside the strip and its political leadership abroad.
Al-Hadad, identified as the military chief who orchestrated the October 7th attacks, has communicated to negotiators that he views the comprehensive 20-point framework proposed by the White House as a “trap” designed for the sole purpose of dismantling Hamas’s military capabilities and ending its rule in Gaza. The American plan, unveiled earlier this week, calls for an immediate ceasefire and hostage release, followed by the complete disarmament of Hamas and the establishment of an interim international security force.
This hardline stance from the commander on the ground creates a major crisis for the negotiations. While some of Hamas’s political leaders based in Doha, Qatar, have reportedly signaled a willingness to discuss amendments to the plan in an effort to keep talks alive, al-Hadad holds the ultimate leverage: the remaining 48 hostages. His refusal to accept any deal that compromises the group’s military power effectively grants him a veto over the entire process.
The rejection comes just as a weekend deadline imposed by the U.S. administration looms. President Trump had given Hamas until Saturday to respond to the proposal, warning that a rejection would lead to “a very sad end.” Al-Hadad’s message appears to be a direct and defiant answer to that ultimatum.
The internal Hamas split is now the central challenge for mediators. The political bureau in Qatar, led by Ismail Haniyeh, is more exposed to international diplomatic pressure, but it does not have direct command and control over the fighters and hostages held in the tunnels beneath Gaza. Al-Hadad and the military council, having survived the war thus far, believe they can withstand further Israeli pressure and that prolonging the conflict serves their strategic goals.
This development places Israel and the United States in a difficult position. Without an agreement, Israel is likely to resume its full-scale military operations with the goal of destroying Hamas’s remaining capabilities and rescuing the hostages by force—a scenario that would almost certainly lead to a new and devastating phase of the war.
Footage Charlie Kirk has been shot
Charlie Kirk has been shot
