United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday declared that Israel had agreed to the conditions of a proposed 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and warned Hamas to accept the deal, cautioning that rejecting the offer would only lead to further deterioration.
Trump made the announcement as he prepares to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday for a high-level dialogue focused on the conflict in Gaza, ongoing hostage negotiations, and Iran’s expanding regional posture.
“My representatives had a long and productive meeting with the Israelis today on Gaza. Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalise the 60-day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the war,” President Trump wrote on social media, adding that Qatar and Egypt would present the final proposal to Hamas.
“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 warned.
While Trump’s remarks signal a shift towards diplomatic urgency, they are unlikely to sway Hamas immediately. The group has previously rejected ceasefire offers unless accompanied by a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war — conditions Israel has resolutely refused.
Hamas is demanding a complete cessation of hostilities and the release of hostages in exchange for Israeli troop withdrawal. Israel, however, insists on Hamas' surrender, disarmament, and exile before any long-term truce.
Despite significant losses, Hamas retains operational capability and continues to pose a lethal threat to Israeli forces. US officials assert, however, that the group’s central command structure has suffered heavy blows over the nearly 21-month conflict, particularly following Israel’s targeted strikes.
Meanwhile, Israel’s top strategic envoy, Minister Ron Dermer, held talks in Washington on Tuesday with Vice President J D Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, discussing the ceasefire proposal, Iran, and other pressing regional security matters.
President Trump, addressing reporters during a visit to a new immigration detention centre in Florida earlier in the day, maintained optimism over a breakthrough.
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“He wants to,” he said of Netanyahu, when asked if it was time to push the Israeli premier towards a settlement. “I think we’ll have a deal next week.”
Roughly 50 hostages remain in captivity in Gaza, with intelligence suggesting that less than half are still alive. A prolonged impasse over the status of these captives continues to impede ceasefire progress.
The last substantial truce collapsed in March, and since then, Trump has routinely issued ultimatums, describing ceasefire terms as final and warning Hamas of graver consequences if they fail to accept.
The war has taken a staggering toll, with more than 56,000 killed in Gaza, according to the local health ministry. The figure, however, does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The humanitarian crisis deepened on Tuesday, when at least 10 Palestinians were killed while seeking food aid at distribution centres. More than 150 international aid organisations, including Oxfam, Save the Children, and Amnesty International, demanded an immediate dismantling of the Israeli- and US-backed system used to coordinate humanitarian relief in the territory, calling it chaotic and dangerous.
Elsewhere, Israeli airstrikes reportedly killed 37 people in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, adding to the civilian toll. Grieving relatives were seen hurling flowers over the body bags, as questions over Israel’s targeting persisted.
“Tents, tents they are hitting with two missiles?” cried Um Seif Abu Leda, whose son was among the victims.
On the regional front, tensions escalated further as Israeli authorities intercepted projectiles fired from Gaza and Yemen. Sirens rang out across parts of Israel, with Defence Minister Israel Katz warning of a decisive military response against Yemen’s Houthi rebels — a group that vowed continued attacks in support of Gaza unless the siege is lifted.
Tehran, meanwhile, remained reeling from 12 consecutive days of strikes by Israel and the US on its nuclear installations, which preceded Trump’s current push for de-escalation.
Prime Minister Netanyahu, expected in Washington next week, is likely to focus talks not only on the ceasefire proposal but also on expanding bilateral trade and strategic cooperation on Iran.
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