Hamas Accepts Gaza Cease-Fire Proposal With American Assurances Over Talks to End War
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Trump Gives Hamas 24 Hours to Accept ‘Final’ Gaza Ceasefire Deal
U.S. President Donald Trump says Israel has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza. The plan would halt hostilities and open talks aimed at ending the war. Hamas has not accepted the deal yet. A source close to the group said it’s seeking assurances that the truce would lead to a permanent end to Israel’s military actions. Israeli airstrikes on Thursday reportedly killed dozens in Gaza, adding urgency to the ceasefire push. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump in Washington next week.
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U.S. President Donald Trump says Israel has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza. Now he’s waiting—Hamas has 24 hours to respond.
Israel Backs Ceasefire Framework
Avi Ohayon / Government Press Office of Israel / Wikimedia Commons
President Trump announced Israel has accepted a proposed framework for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza. The plan would halt hostilities and open talks aimed at ending the war.
Hamas Demands Ceasefire Guarantees
Anas-Mohammed / Shutterstock
Hamas has not accepted the deal yet. A source close to the group said it’s seeking assurances that the truce would lead to a permanent end to Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
Dozens Killed as Fighting Continues
Ashraf Amra, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Even as negotiations continue, violence has not stopped. Israeli airstrikes on Thursday reportedly killed dozens in Gaza, adding urgency to the ceasefire push.
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Trump Warns: “We Are Going to Know in 24 Hours”
The White House / Wikimedia Commons
Trump said the world will soon know whether Hamas agrees to the deal. “We are going to know over the next 24 hours,” he told reporters on Friday.
Ceasefire Includes Hostage Swap, Aid Access
IDF Spokesperson’s Unit / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons
The proposal includes a phased exchange of hostages and prisoners, a partial Israeli troop withdrawal, and increased humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Abraham Accords Back in Focus
Shutterstock
Alongside the ceasefire push, Trump also met with Saudi officials to discuss expanding the Abraham Accords. The talks could reshape broader Middle East alliances.
Netanyahu to Visit Washington Next Week
DHSgov / Wikimedia Commons
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump in Washington next week. Their talks are expected to cover ceasefire terms and regional diplomacy.
Hamas submits ‘positive response’ to ceasefire proposal in major step toward a deal
Hamas says it has submitted a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire with Israel. The proposal calls for the release of 10 hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. The two sides are now expected to enter into negotiations for a permanent ceasefire. The talks are expected to take place in the next few days, a source says. They are the latest in a series of attempts to reach a deal to end the conflict in the Gaza Strip, which has been raging since mid-May. The U.S. State Department has been involved in the talks, but has not yet made a formal offer to take part in the ceasefire, the source adds. The United Nations has been trying to broker a deal between Israel and the Palestinians for months, but to no avail. The UN Security Council is expected to hold a vote on the proposal next week. The vote will be followed by a vote by the U.N. Security Council on whether or not to accept the proposal, which would be the first since the start of the conflict.
Hamas announced on Friday that it had “submitted a positive response” to a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire with Israel in Gaza, opening the path toward a deal to halt the conflict after months of failed efforts.
Hamas has “submitted a positive response to the mediators, and the movement is fully prepared to immediately enter into a round of negotiations regarding the mechanism for implementing this framework,” the group said in a statement.
Israel had previously accepted the US-sponsored framework, which means the two sides are now expected to enter final, detailed negotiations before a ceasefire agreement is officially reached.
Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian-American interlocutor who has been in direct discussions with Hamas, praised the group’s response on Facebook, saying, “We are now much closer to ending this cursed war.”
He said Hamas had introduced “amendments it deemed necessary.”
“In my view, these amendments will not prevent reaching a ceasefire agreement within the coming week, God willing,” he said.
An Israeli source familiar with the matter said earlier Friday that Israel had expected a positive response from Hamas, with the rewording of a few points in the proposal language. The source said these changes were not expected to derail the ceasefire efforts.
US President Donald Trump said Friday he was optimistic a ceasefire deal in Gaza could be agreed next week after Hamas announced its response.
“We have to get it over with,” Trump said. “We have to do something about Gaza.”
Of the 50 Israeli hostages remaining in Gaza, the proposal calls for the release of 10 living hostages and 18 deceased during the ceasefire. On the first day of the ceasefire, Hamas would release eight living hostages in exchange for an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Following the release, Israel would withdraw from parts of northern Gaza, and the two sides would begin negotiations toward a permanent ceasefire.
The release of the hostages is to take place without any Hamas ceremonies or fanfare. The remaining hostages would be released on four more dates specified in the proposal.
Efforts to secure a ceasefire intensified following the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran last month. Qatar, a key negotiator, immediately launched a new round of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas to find a “middle ground” based on previous proposals.
Palestinians gather to receive food on July 3, 2025, in Khan Younis, Gaza. Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu/Getty Images
New proposal
The new proposal includes stronger assurances about the US’s commitment to keeping Israel at the negotiating table to reach a permanent ceasefire deal, during or potentially after the 60-day truce, according to an Israeli official and source familiar with the negotiations.
It also commits Israel to allowing a surge of aid into Gaza through traditional humanitarian channels, rather than through the controversial Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
US President Donald Trump has pushed hard for a ceasefire, saying on Tuesday that Israel had “agreed to the necessary conditions” to finalize a deal for a 60-day cessation of hostilities. In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned Hamas to accept the proposal as well.
“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 said, thanking Qatar and Egypt for their role in advancing the proposal.
Israel accepted the new proposal on Tuesday while Ron Dermer, a confidant of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was in Washington, DC, meeting with top Trump administration officials, including US special envoy Steve Witkoff. The next day, Hamas said it was discussing the proposal as part of “national consultations” and that it aimed to reach an agreement that would guarantee “an end to the aggression, the withdrawal (of Israeli forces), and urgent relief for our people in the Gaza Strip.”
According to a source familiar with the negotiations, Israel and Hamas are now expected to enter quickly into proximity talks, during which officials from both sides are in the same building, with negotiators passing messages between them expeditiously to reach a deal. Such talks can take days, or they can be concluded faster. One of the key issues to resolve will be the timeline for the withdrawal of Israeli forces in Gaza during the ceasefire, the source said.
Qatar submitted the new proposal for a 60-day ceasefire, backed by the Trump administration, to both Hamas and Israel this week, following months of behind-the-scenes efforts led by Witkoff.
After a two-month ceasefire collapsed in March – and Israel renewed its bombardment of Gaza – the Trump administration put forward a ceasefire proposal that was rejected by Hamas because it failed to include guarantees about a permanent end to the war. The new version attempted to account for that key Hamas demand, offering stronger US assurances that the ceasefire would continue beyond 60 days even if a comprehensive agreement had not yet been reached.
Injured Palestinians are brought to al-Ahli Baptist Hospital to receive medical treatment after an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip on July 4, 2025. Dawoud Abo Alkas/Anadolu/Getty Images
Israel has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians in Gaza since the war began, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. As negotiators worked to advance the latest ceasefire proposal, Israel intensified its bombardment of Gaza, killing scores across the besieged enclave.
Until now, Israel has refused to agree to a ceasefire deal that includes a comprehensive end to the war, as Netanyahu said the country’s goals included destroying Hamas’ military capability and ability to govern. But after the conflict with Iran, he has signaled a new willingness to compromise.
On Sunday, Netanyahu said that “many opportunities have opened up” following Israel’s military operations in Iran, including the possibility of bringing home the remaining hostages held in Gaza. It marked the first time in months that the long-time Israeli leader has clearly prioritized the return of the hostages over the defeat of Hamas.
Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to Washington this weekend and meet Trump at the White House on Monday. Before he leaves for the trip, he will convene his full cabinet on Saturday night to discuss the proposal. Even though far-right members of Israel’s government have said they will try to torpedo the deal, other political parties have made clear they will throw their support behind a ceasefire.
Hamas responds to US-backed Gaza ceasefire proposal in a ‘positive spirit’
Palestinian group’s reply boosts chances of 60-day Gaza ceasefire, but Israel hasn’t responded publicly to the proposal. Hamas said late on Friday that the group had submitted its reply to Qatar and Egypt, who are mediating the talks. US President Donald Trump earlier announced a “final proposal” for a 60- day truce in the nearly 21-month-old war. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to publicly endorse the plan. Meanwhile, Israel is said to be pressing for written assurances that Hamas can resume its disarmament and exile of its leadership if its key demands are not met. The document would allow Israel to “renew the fire” if Hamas should fail to comply with the terms of the deal, allowing Israel to determine whether the terms had been fulfilled. The deal includes a pause in military and surveillance flights over Gaza for 10 hours each day – or 12 hours on days when captives and prisoners are exchanged. The proposed exchange includes the release of 10 living and 18 deceased Israeli captives from the “List of 58”.
Palestinian group Hamas says it has given a “positive” response to a United States-brokered proposal for a Gaza ceasefire, raising hopes of a possible breakthrough in halting Israel’s deadly offensive.
US President Donald Trump earlier announced a “final proposal” for a 60-day truce in the nearly 21-month-old war, stating he anticipated a reply from the parties in the coming hours.
Hamas said late on Friday that the group had submitted its reply to Qatar and Egypt, who are mediating the talks.
“The movement [Hamas] has delivered its response to the brotherly mediators, which was characterised by a positive spirit. Hamas is fully prepared, with all seriousness, to immediately enter a new round of negotiations on the mechanism for implementing this framework,” a statement by the group said.
Trump said earlier this week that Israel had accepted the main conditions of a proposed 60-day truce, during which time negotiations would aim to permanently end the war. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to publicly endorse the plan.
Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over alleged war crimes in Gaza, is expected to meet Trump in Washington on Monday.
According to Israeli media reports early on Saturday, Israeli government officials had received Hamas’s official response to the latest ceasefire proposal framework and were reviewing its contents.
Details from the proposed deal
According to a translated copy of the framework shared with Al Jazeera, the deal would include a 60-day truce, guaranteed by Trump, with a phased release of Israeli captives and increased humanitarian aid.
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The proposed exchange includes the release of 10 living and 18 deceased Israeli captives from the “List of 58”. Releases would occur on days one, seven, 30, 50, and 60 – beginning with eight live captives on the first day.
Under the plan, aid would flow into Gaza immediately following Hamas’s approval, in quantities comparable to the January 2025 agreement. Distribution would be handled by agencies including the United Nations and the Palestine Red Crescent Society.
As part of the proposed Gaza ceasefire framework, all Israeli military operations would stop once the agreement takes effect, Al Jazeera has learned.
The deal includes a pause in military and surveillance flights over Gaza for 10 hours each day – or 12 hours on days when captives and prisoners are exchanged.
Negotiations for a permanent ceasefire would begin on day one under the supervision of mediators. Talks would cover a full exchange of captives for Palestinian prisoners, Israeli troop withdrawal, future security arrangements, and “day-after” plans for Gaza.
‘Much-awaited response’
Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City, said the Hamas response was “much-awaited, much-anticipated”, with anxious besieged Palestinians asking when it would come.
“We don’t know whether this response … is going to bring an end to the ongoing killings … or the presence of the [Israeli] drones,” he said.
Heavy shelling and gunfire continue near food distribution points, and uncertainty remains over whether serious negotiations will lead to relief.
“None of this is clear right now,” Mahmoud added, “but at least it’s a first step.”
Trump, speaking early on Friday, said he expected clarity from Hamas “over the next 24 hours”.
He added, “We hope it’s going to happen. And we’re looking forward to it happening sometime next week. We want to get the hostages out.”
Israel pushing for side deal with Trump
Despite Hamas’s endorsement, the group has reportedly sought guarantees that the proposed truce would lead to a permanent end to Israel’s war and prevent Tel Aviv from resuming attacks at will.
According to two Israeli officials quoted by the Reuters news agency, details of the proposal are still under negotiation. Meanwhile, Israel is said to be pressing Trump for written assurances that it can resume operations if its key demands – Hamas disarmament and the exile of its leadership – are not met.
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Israeli broadcaster Channel 14, citing a senior political source, reported earlier this week that the deal includes a side letter from Trump granting Israel the authority to “renew the fire” should Hamas fail to comply. The document would allow Israel to determine whether the terms had been fulfilled.
Netanyahu has repeatedly insisted that any Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza must be dismantled as a precondition for peace – an issue that remains a major sticking point.
A previous two-month truce ended when Israeli strikes killed more than 400 Palestinians on March 18 and led to what UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called “the cruellest phase of a cruel war”. More than 6,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel broke the truce.
Overall, Israeli forces have killed at least 57,268 Palestinians and wounded more than 130,000 since October 7, 2023.
Hamas Accepts Gaza Cease-Fire Proposal With American Assurances Over Talks to End War
Hamas accepted the framework of a proposed new 60-day cease-fire and hostage-release deal. If concluded, it would immediately trigger U.S.-backed negotiations between the militants and Israel.
Hamas accepted the framework of a proposed new 60-day cease-fire and hostage-release deal in Gaza that, if concluded, would immediately trigger U.S.-backed negotiations between the militants and Israel aimed at a permanent end to the war, Arab officials involved in the talks said.
The terms of the new proposal, put together by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff along with mediators from Egypt and Qatar, also call for, among other things, the exchange of 10 living hostages for a larger number of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, the officials said.
Hamas seeks ceasefire guarantees as scores more are killed in Gaza
Hamas is seeking firm assurances that a new U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal will ultimately bring the Gaza conflict to an end, a source close to the group said on Thursday. Israeli airstrikes continued across the territory, killing at least 59 people, according to local health officials. Israeli authorities said a ceasefire and hostage exchange deal now seems increasingly likely, nearly 21 months since the war began. Egyptian and Qatari officials are trying to secure international guarantees to keep talks moving and persuade Hamas to accept the deal. President Trump said on Friday (4 July) it would probably be known in 24 hours whether Hamas has agreed to accept what he has called a “final proposal” for an Israel-Hamas ceasefire.
Israeli authorities said a ceasefire and hostage exchange deal now seems increasingly likely, nearly 21 months since the war began. The momentum for a ceasefire increased after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire ended a 12-day aerial clash between Israel and Iran, though heavy Israeli bombardment in Gaza has persisted.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday (4 July) it would probably be known in 24 hours whether Hamas has agreed to accept what he has called a “final proposal” for an Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza.
”We’ll see what happens, we’re going to know over the next 24 hours,” said President Trump when he arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
On Tuesday, President Trump said Israel had agreed to a 60-day ceasefire framework under which both sides would work toward ending the war. Hamas, however, wants clear guarantees that the temporary pause will transition into a permanent resolution. Two Israeli officials confirmed that these terms are still under negotiation.
Hamas said it is consulting with other Palestinian groups before responding to mediators. Egyptian and Qatari officials are trying to secure international guarantees to keep talks moving and persuade Hamas to accept the deal, Egyptian sources said.
An Israeli official close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the government was ready to approve the agreement. Another source said Israel expects Hamas’ reply by Friday and, if positive, an Israeli delegation would join indirect negotiations to finalise the arrangement.
The proposal includes the phased release of 10 Israeli hostages and the return of 18 bodies in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Out of the 50 hostages still held in Gaza, only 20 are believed to be alive. Humanitarian aid would enter Gaza immediately, and Israeli forces would gradually withdraw from parts of the Strip. Talks on a permanent ceasefire would begin right away.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee expressed cautious optimism, saying the final outcome depends on Hamas’ decision. He added that both President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu want the war to end and confirmed upcoming White House talks involving Netanyahu.
Despite diplomatic efforts, fighting on the ground has continued. Medics reported that Israeli fire killed 20 people heading to an aid site and another 17 died in a strike on a school in Gaza City. The Israeli army said it had targeted a Hamas fighter and tried to avoid civilian harm.
Witnesses described chaos and suffering.
“The tent collapsed on us, and everything was on fire”, said Wafaa Al-Arqan, who was sheltering at the school. “What can we do? Is it fair for all these children to burn?”
The war began on 7 October, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s military response has since killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, and displaced much of the population, causing severe humanitarian crises.
Israel insists it won’t stop fighting until Hamas is dismantled. Hamas says it is ready to release the remaining hostages if Israel agrees to end the war.