Hamas Says It Accepts Ceasefire Proposal, IDF Claims 'Deception' Over Altered Deal

Hamas said Monday it had accepted a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar, just hours after Israel warned civilians to evacuate parts of Rafah, in southern Gaza.

The Details: News sources initially noted that it was unclear whether Hamas agreed to the deal as written or a revised version; later, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said Hamas’ statement was a “deception” or a “ruse” intended to tarnish Israel’s reputation if it refused Hamas’ altered terms. The original deal would see 20 to 33 hostages released and a pause in fighting lasting over a month. 

How the Media Covered It: Live coverage was common in mainstream news outlets, which were often already covering the Rafah evacuations. Echoing past trends in coverage, some right-rated outlets directly and prominently referred to Hamas as a “terrorist group,” while some left-rated outlets called it a “militant group.” Others, like Axios (Lean Left bias), avoided the issue by simply referring to Hamas by name. This story is developing, check back for updates.