Hamas has rejected an Israeli proposal for a six-week ceasefire in Gaza, which conditioned the pause on the disarmament of Palestinian militant groups, BBC reported.

A Hamas official, speaking anonymously, confirmed the rejection ahead of the group’s formal response to ceasefire mediators.It comes as Israel continues its military offensive in Gaza.

Mediators had previously expressed optimism about reaching a deal soon, but concerns remain that temporary ceasefires could be undermined if they lack U.S. guarantees for a permanent resolution to the conflict, according to BBC.

The Israeli proposal also included a commitment to negotiate a lasting end to the hostilities, contingent upon Hamas and other militant factions agreeing to disarm. This information was provided by Egyptian mediators and both Hamas and negotiation officials, who requested anonymity due to the confidential nature of the discussions.