Washington: President Donald Trump said that Israel has agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza. Posting on Truth Social, Trump stated that Qatar and Egypt would deliver the final proposal and urged Hamas to accept the deal, warning that “it will not get better — it will only get worse.”
Trump, who is set to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu next week, said he believed Netanyahu was committed to ending hostilities in Gaza. “I think we’ll have a deal next week,” he said.
Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon confirmed Israel’s readiness for a ceasefire but said Hamas was “playing hardball.” He warned that if negotiations failed, Israel would increase military pressure to secure the release of hostages. Around 50 Israeli hostages are still held in Gaza, with at least 20 believed to be alive.
The announcement follows a renewed push by mediators for a truce and hostage deal. However, negotiations remain stalled, with Israel insisting on the dismantling of Hamas, and Hamas demanding a permanent truce and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Meanwhile, controversy continues around the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), with over 170 NGOs calling for its shutdown amid claims that Israeli forces fire on aid-seeking civilians.
A previous ceasefire deal in January collapsed before progressing beyond its first phase.
That agreement had aimed to establish a permanent ceasefire, secure hostage releases, and lead to a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Tensions remain high. On Monday, at least 20 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a Gaza City cafe, and Israel has ordered evacuations in northern Gaza amid intensified military operations.
The war began after Hamas launched an attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, killing around 1,200 people. Since then, more than 56,600 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry
