Now that he’s brokered peace between Israel and Iran, however tenuous, the president of the United States is working toward notching another ceasefire victory.
President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social account on Tuesday that “Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60 Day CEASEFIRE” in Gaza. The point of the ceasefire, he added, is to bring lasting peace to the region.
Trump went on to say that the Qataris and Egyptians are involved in the negotiations. They “will deliver this final proposal,” he said, presumably to Hamas. The Times of Israel reported Tuesday that the U.S. is pressuring Qatar, which in turn is turning the screws on Hamas, to make the deal happen.
The U.S. president capped off the social media announcement with a trademark veiled threat. “I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE,” he said.
Israeli officials had not replied to requests for comment from The Times of Israel on Trump’s claim. The Israeli news outlet reported that in his post, Trump is likely referring to “a proposal for a temporary ceasefire that has been discussed over the past several months.”
Officials representing Arab countries involved in the negotiations told The Times that obstacles to a ceasefire remain:
Remaining sticking points … include Hamas’s demand for a return to old mechanisms for distributing humanitarian aid or the establishment of a new system to replace the current one managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Israel says GHF is essential in preventing the commandeering of aid by Hamas, but the US- and Israeli-backed system has forced Gazans to walk long distances in order to pick up food, while also crossing IDF lines, coming under deadly fire on a near-daily basis.”
U.S. News & World Report reported Wednesday that Hamas acknowledged it received a proposal. Hamas reportedly said it would return the remaining 50 hostages, only half of whom are still alive, if Israel leaves Gaza and ends its offensive. Israel, however, said it would “only agree to end the war if Hamas surrenders, disarms and exiles itself, something the group refuses to do.” More from U.S. News:
An Israeli official said the latest proposal calls for a 60-day deal that would include a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a surge in humanitarian aid to the territory. The mediators and the U.S. would provide assurances about talks to end the war, but Israel isn’t committing to that as part of the latest proposal, the official said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit the White House next week, on Monday. Trump has said he plans to be “very firm” with the premier. He also claims that Netanyahu wants to end the war. Israeli news outlets corroborate this. According to The Times of Israel:
After Trump asserted to reporters that Netanyahu also wanted to see a ceasefire and hostage release deal come to fruition, Israeli cabinet members told Channel 12 on Tuesday evening that, for the first time, the premier was showing signs that he would prefer a deal to end the war in Gaza soon. The report suggested that indirect talks with Hamas could restart in the coming days, while Netanyahu is in the US.
Prior reports on the Israel-Iran ceasefire indicate that Trump is not afraid to lean on Netanyahu. Western and Israeli media reported that after announcing that ceasefire, Trump called Netanyahu and basically ordered him to stop strikes while fighter jets were on their way to hit Iran.
Israeli public opinion heavily favors ending Israel’s war in Gaza, which has been ongoing since October 2023, according to reports. A poll conducted by Israel’s Kan public broadcaster found that “Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed said they wanted the Gaza war to end, compared to 22 percent who favoured continuing the fighting.” The poll also indicates that Netanyahu, despite getting a favorability boost after Israel’s quick and successful campaign against Iran, is still unpopular with the public. Fifty-two percent of the Israelis who took part in the Kan survey said they wanted Netanyahu gone.
The head of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is also signaling that it’s time to end the fighting in Gaza. According to reports, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir told a couple of ministers that “Hamas is dead.” He noted that Hamas had only fired one rocket during Israel’s 12-Day war with Iran. Zamir also allegedly opposes the idea of Israel conquering all of Gaza.