Israeli officials projected cautious optimism on Wednesday over the possibility of a new Gaza cease-fire and hostage release agreement ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with President Trump next week in Washington.
It was still unclear whether the latest U.S.-backed effort can overcome the most entrenched sticking point between Israel and Hamas: whether the pause in the fighting would actually end the 20-month war in Gaza.
Israel informed the United States on Tuesday that it had assented to “conditions to finalize” a 60-day cease-fire with Hamas, President Trump wrote on social media on Tuesday. During the truce, all sides would attempt to use the temporary pause to end the war, he said.
The latest effort goes beyond a previous proposal in May, with more extensive guarantees that mediators, including the United States, would ensure that talks continue during the two-month truce until both sides agreed to an end to the war, according to three Israeli officials, speaking anonymously to discuss the matter.
Hamas had yet to respond to the proposal, which would provide the basis for intensive talks to flesh out details of the accord. But two of the three Israeli officials said they were hopeful that the latest effort might finally give some momentum to the long-stalled cease-fire talks amid rising pressure from Mr. Trump to reach an agreement.
Hamas leaders say they will only release the remaining hostages if Israel ends the war in Gaza. Mr. Netanyahu has said he is ready for a “temporary cease-fire,” but that he won’t end the war unless Hamas ends its rule in Gaza and its leaders go into exile, conditions the Palestinian group rejects.
Israel had made new concessions by agreeing to the guarantees, two of the officials said. The precise language was unclear, but Hamas has demanded similar clauses in the past. Israeli officials have rejected them, saying they would effectively turn the temporary truce into a permanent one by default.
Some analysts say Mr. Netanyahu — basking in what many Israelis consider his successful June war with Iran — may now be ready to change course.
More than 56,000 people, including thousands of children, have been killed in the war in Gaza, according to the Gaza health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. The war began when Hamas and its allies attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians. More than 250 others were taken hostage, according to Israel.