President Donald Trump said Israel “agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize” a 60-day ceasefire in the country’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
The Israel-Hamas war will pass the two-year mark later this year, with two ceasefires to date: one in November 2023 and earlier this year from January to March.
“My Representatives had a long and productive meeting with the Israelis today on Gaza. 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,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “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.”
The ceasefire will be the war’s third if it works out, though both sides hope for a more permanent solution. Tuesday, Trump said he expected a ceasefire agreement to be reached sometime next week. One of the main conditions for the war to end is the full release of all Israeli hostages in Gaza, even though there are at least dozens left, with many suspected dead.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that the release of the hostages is a priority.
“It’s heartbreaking to see the images that have come out from both Israel and Gaza throughout this war,” Leavitt said. “And the president wants to see it end. He wants to save lives and, however, the main priority for the president also remains to bring all of the hostages home out of Gaza. As you know, his tireless effort has brought home many of the hostages, including all of the American hostages who were held there.”
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The world’s attention had turned away from Gaza for much of June after Israel and Iran began a short conflict that ended with a Trump-brokered ceasefire. Scores of Palestinians, many seeking food, have been killed in the past month, with witnesses saying Israeli airstrikes killed dozens of people at a cafe on Monday.
Since the war began, the Gaza Health Ministry estimated that around 55,000 Palestinians have been killed. The majority of Israeli casualties came during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that killed hundreds of civilians and soldiers.
