Trump says Israel has ‘agreed to the necessary conditions’ to finalize 60-day ceasefire in Gaza

Gaza shows smoke billowing during an Israeli strike on the besieged Palestinian

Wednesday | July 2, 2025

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Israel had “agreed to the necessary conditions” to finalize a proposed 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, though uncertainty remained over whether Hamas would accept the terms.

Two senior U.S. administration officials confirmed that while Israel had signaled its readiness to move forward with the deal, Hamas had yet to give its approval — a crucial step for any truce to go into effect. The ceasefire proposal, brokered with the support of regional mediators, reflects intensified diplomatic efforts by the Trump administration to deescalate the months-long war in Gaza.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump credited recent negotiations as “long and productive,” emphasizing that Israel had agreed to the framework needed to implement a temporary halt to hostilities. “My Representatives had a long and productive meeting with the Israelis today on Gaza,” Trump wrote. “Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60 Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the War. The Qataris and Egyptians, who have worked very hard to help bring Peace, will deliver this final proposal. 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.”

CNN earlier reported that Qatari officials submitted the new ceasefire proposal to both Hamas and Israel on Tuesday. According to a source familiar with the negotiations, the proposal is backed by the Trump administration and is the result of months of quiet diplomacy led by Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff. The timing of the submission coincided with a high-level visit to Washington by Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, who held meetings with top U.S. officials to discuss the evolving situation in Gaza.

This latest proposal comes on the heels of a significant breakthrough: a recently brokered ceasefire between Iran and Israel, mediated in part by Qatar, following coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. That agreement marked a rare moment of de-escalation in a rapidly intensifying regional conflict and has raised hopes that similar momentum might be achieved in Gaza.

Sources familiar with the current ceasefire plan say it incorporates revisions aimed at addressing Hamas’ prior objections to an earlier U.S.-backed proposal. Chief among these changes is a phased exchange of Israeli hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners — a key issue in the stalled negotiations. Still, the White House has not publicly confirmed any of the deal’s specific provisions and declined to comment on the details, even after Trump’s public remarks.

President Trump is scheduled to meet next Monday at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. CNN has reported that Netanyahu has been weighing his options carefully, facing pressure both to continue military operations in Gaza and to consider a diplomatic offramp that might bring home Israeli hostages and reduce regional tensions.

An Israeli military official told CNN Tuesday that Israel had not yet achieved all of its strategic war objectives in Gaza, but acknowledged that Hamas’ capabilities had been significantly diminished. As the group’s fighters retreat into hiding and its infrastructure becomes harder to target, military officials have privately conceded that further gains may prove increasingly difficult and costly.

Netanyahu, speaking Sunday, hinted at a potential opening in the conflict, stating that “many opportunities have opened up” as a result of recent Israeli operations — including the chance to secure the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza. That statement was interpreted by some observers as a sign that the Israeli government might be more open to a negotiated pause than in previous months.

Trump, for his part, said he would adopt a “very firm” stance in upcoming talks with Netanyahu, expressing confidence that the Israeli leader was also seeking an exit from the war. “He wants to. I can tell you he wants to. I think we’ll have a deal next week,” Trump told reporters.

Still, significant hurdles remain. While Hamas has long demanded a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces, it is unclear whether it will accept a temporary 60-day truce without broader concessions. The militant group also insists that it retain political control in Gaza — a red line that Israel has categorically rejected.

According to a source familiar with internal discussions, Hamas may be showing some signs of flexibility in its stance, though it remains unclear whether that would be enough to close the gap. With key mediators — including Qatar and Egypt — continuing their efforts behind the scenes, the coming days are expected to be critical in determining whether the proposal can succeed in halting the war, even temporarily.

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