On May 31, a U.S. envoy to the Middle East called Hamas`s response to a ceasefire plan "totally unacceptable." The plan, backed by the U.S., aimed to stop the fighting for 60 days and allow for a hostage-prisoner exchange and more aid to enter Gaza. Hamas said it was ready to release 10 living hostages and return the bodies of 18 people in exchange for over 1,200 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. However, the group also repeated its demands for a complete end to the war and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, conditions Israel does not accept. The proposed truce included releasing 28 of the 58 hostages still in Gaza and allowing humanitarian aid into the area. Talks remain tense as both sides hold firm on their positions.