United States, Israel's biggest benefactor, has called the latest demands by Hamas resistance movement regarding the Gaza ceasefire "an unacceptable response."

US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff in an interview with CNN on Sunday said that the Palestinian group's proposal was a "non-starter".

"There's an opportunity for [Hamas], but the opportunity is closing fast," President Donald Trump's envoy added.

The remarks come as Hamas delegations are negotiating in the Qatari capital Doha.

Witkoff, who spent much of the week in the region, has insisted there would be no “second phase” of the ceasefire - just an extension of the first phase, for now. 

Meanwhile, Israel’s prime minister's office said in a statement that Netanyahu had instructed his negotiating team to continue indirect talks with Hamas on base of a proposal by Witkoff.

Witkoff told CNN he had offered a "bridge proposal" that would see five living captives, including Israeli-American Edan Alexander.

A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas allowed a surge of aid into Gaza after more than 15 months of full blockade on the Gaza Strip.

Under the ceasefire deal, Hamas released 33 Israeli captives in exchange for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

But immediately after the first phase of a truce deal expired on March 1, the Tel Aviv regime cut off humanitarian supplies to the coastal territory, using aid as a bargaining chip.

Israel has said it wants to extend the first phase until mid-April, but Hamas insisted on a transition to the second phase, which should lead to a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a complete halt to its military campaign in the besieged territory.

The Palestinian resistance group said Saturday that it will only release an American-Israeli captive only if the regime implements their ceasefire agreement, calling it an “exceptional deal” aimed at getting the truce back on track.

Alexander, who was a soldier with the Israeli military, is believed to be the last living American-Israeli captive held by Hamas in Gaza.

US had never been considered an impartial mediator in talks between Israel and Palestinians. Observers say senior authorities in Washington must be held to account for their complicity in the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza and their unflinching support for the Tel Aviv regime. 

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