Israel has agreed to the “necessary conditions” to finalise a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, US President Donald Trump has said.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that during the proposed ceasefire the US would “work with all parties to end the War”. He did not provide details on what the ceasefire would entail.
“The Qataris and Egyptians, who have worked very hard to help bring Peace, will deliver this final proposal. I hope… that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE,” Trump wrote.
Israel has not confirmed it agreed to the conditions of a deal. A Hamas official told the BBC the group is “ready and serious” to reach an agreement if it ends the war.
Hamas is “prepared to agree to any proposal if the requirements for ending the war are clearly met or if they lead to its complete end,” said Taher al-Nunu.
In a statement the group said it was aiming to reach an agreement that “guarantees an end to the aggression, the withdrawal [of Israeli forces], and urgent relief for our people in the Gaza Strip”.
Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar posted on X that there is majority support in the government “for a framework to release hostages,” and this opportunity “must not be missed.”
For Israel, the key component of any deal will have to be the release of most, if not all, hostages still being held in Gaza.
Of the 50 or so hostages remaining in captivity, more than 20 are still thought to be alive and their plight has been at the forefront of regular demonstrations in Israel calling for an end to the war.
A recent Israeli newspaper poll suggested that a significant majority of Israelis wanted the war to end – but polling on Wednesday, from the Israel Democracy Institute, also suggested that most Israelis still did not trust Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, or his intentions.
Credit: bbc.com
