United States President Donald Trump stated that Israel has “agreed to the necessary conditions” to finalize a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza.
In a post on the Truth Social platform, Trump stated that Qatar and Egypt will assist in finalizing the negotiations.
“My representatives had a long and productive meeting with the Israelis today regarding Gaza. Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions for finalizing a 60-day ceasefire, and during that time, we will work with all parties to end the war. The Qataris and Egyptians, who have worked very hard to establish peace, will present this final proposal. I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas will accept this agreement, because it won’t get better – it will only get worse,” Trump wrote on the social network.
Two officials from the Trump administration confirmed that Hamas has yet to agree to the agreement, CNN reports, noting that it is unclear whether Hamas will accept the terms.
According to a source familiar with the situation, as CNN previously reported, Qatari officials yesterday submitted a new 60-day ceasefire proposal to both Hamas and Israel, which is supported by the Trump administration. The proposal was finalized after months of efforts led by Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, the source said. The proposal was submitted on the same day that Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer visited Washington for meetings with high-ranking Trump administration officials.
The new proposal emerged days after Qatar helped mediate a ceasefire between Iran and Israel following US and Israeli attacks on Iran’s nuclear program, and months after Hamas rejected an initial Gaza ceasefire proposal supported by the Trump administration.
The source told CNN that the new version, which Qatar also worked on, attempted to address Hamas’ concerns regarding the earlier proposal. During the ceasefire, Israeli hostages would be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, the source added. The White House did not comment on the details of the proposal, which were released before Trump’s Truth Social post.
Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, who CNN reported is considering whether to pursue a ceasefire or intensify attacks on Gaza. An Israeli military official told CNN yesterday that Israel has not fully achieved all of its war goals, but as Hamas forces have diminished and gone into hiding, it has become harder to effectively target what remains of the militant group.
Netanyahu said on Sunday that “many opportunities have opened up” after Israeli military operations in Iran, including the possibility of bringing home the remaining hostages held in Gaza. Trump told reporters yesterday that he would be “very firm” in his talks with Netanyahu at the planned White House meeting next week and predicted that the prime minister wants to end the war.
“He wants it. I can tell you he wants it. I think we’ll have a deal next week,” Trump said.
Nevertheless, even with a new proposal on the table, a ceasefire agreement remains a major challenge. Hamas has long advocated for a permanent ceasefire, so it is unclear whether it would agree to a temporary 60-day truce. Hamas still retains its core demand that the war must end and that it must remain in power, which Israel will not allow, said another source familiar with the situation. Still, there have been some indications that Hamas is willing to show some flexibility regarding its positions, the source said.
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Source: Euronews; Foto: Reuters