Trump seeks to announce Gaza ceasefire deal as Hamas considers latest proposal

U.S. President Donald Trump hopes to announce a ceasefire agreement in Gaza during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned visit to Washington on July 7, Israeli media reported. 

Hamas, meanwhile, is weighing a proposal that could lead to a permanent end to the war.

Sources familiar with the discussions said Hamas is demanding assurances that any new truce would not just pause hostilities but result in a complete halt to Israel’s military campaign.

On July 4, Hamas confirmed it was consulting with other Palestinian factions about the proposal, signaling it might be preparing for formal negotiations.

Earlier this week, Trump declared that Israel had accepted the terms needed to finalize a 60-day ceasefire with Hamas, during which all parties would work toward ending the war. He expressed optimism that Hamas would respond to the proposal by July 4.

“I want the people of Gaza to be safe; that’s more important than anything else. They’ve been through hell,” Trump told reporters when asked if he intended to exert control over the territory.

A source close to Hamas said the group was seeking firm guarantees that any ceasefire would culminate in a permanent end to the conflict. According to Israel’s Channel 12, Trump privately offered a direct assurance to Hamas: if it accepts the framework — which includes a 60-day truce and the staged release of 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 others — the U.S. would support continued diplomatic efforts for a lasting resolution.

Israel, under heavy U.S. pressure, is working to finalize a ceasefire before Netanyahu’s White House visit. A senior Israeli official confirmed preparations were underway to approve a deal. Israeli officials said Trump wants to jointly announce a breakthrough on a ceasefire and hostage exchange with Netanyahu during the Washington visit.

Another source familiar with the negotiations said Israel expected a formal response from Hamas by July 4. If positive, an Israeli delegation would join indirect talks to finalize the agreement.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s civil defense agency reported that Israeli airstrikes overnight on July 4 killed at least 15 people, highlighting the continuing violence.

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, sparking a massive Israeli offensive aimed at eliminating Hamas and freeing hostages.

Two previous ceasefires, brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the U.S., temporarily halted fighting and enabled hostage-prisoner exchanges.

In a statement early Friday, Hamas said it was consulting with other Palestinian groups on the latest proposal received from mediators — a possible indication it was preparing for negotiations.

Hours earlier, Netanyahu, under intense domestic pressure over the fate of hostages, vowed to secure their release. “I feel a deep commitment, first and foremost, to ensure the return of all our abductees,” he told residents of Nir Oz kibbutz, one of the hardest-hit communities in the October 7 attack.

Speaking Thursday, Trump reiterated his desire for safety for Gaza’s residents: “I want to see safety for the people of Gaza. They’ve gone through hell,” he said.

A Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations told AFP that the new proposal doesn’t significantly differ from earlier U.S.-drafted terms. It includes a 60-day ceasefire during which Hamas would release half of the living Israeli hostages in exchange for Israel freeing a number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

Earlier this week, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stressed that Israel should not miss any opportunity to secure the hostages’ release, echoing Trump’s call for Hamas to accept the 60-day truce proposal, which Israel supports.

The war, now in its 21st month, has created catastrophic humanitarian conditions for Gaza’s more than two million residents. Israel has recently intensified military operations against Hamas militants.

Of the 251 hostages taken during the October 7 attack, 49 remain in Gaza, with 27 confirmed dead by Israeli authorities.

On Friday, Gaza’s civil defense said overnight Israeli strikes killed at least 15 people. Civil defense official Mohammad al-Mughayyir told AFP that seven people, including a child, died in an airstrike on tents for displaced people near Khan Yunis, while eight others, including two children, were killed in two other strikes on coastal encampments.

Due to restricted media access in Gaza and the difficulty of reaching many areas, AFP could not independently verify the reported death tolls.

According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, Israel’s military campaign has killed at least 57,130 people, most of them civilians. The UN considers these figures credible.