Israel has agreed to conditions for 60-day Gaza ceasefire — Trump 

Israel has agreed to the “necessary conditions” to finalize a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “During the proposed deal, we will work with all parties to end the War,” but he did not specify the conditions involved.

He praised mediators from Qatar and Egypt, saying, “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.”

Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza following Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack, which killed about 1,200 people in Israel. Since then, at least 56,647 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.

It remains unclear whether Hamas will accept the ceasefire conditions.

Trump’s comments come ahead of a scheduled meeting next week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which the US president said would be “very firm.”

“He wants to. I can tell you he wants to,” Trump said of Netanyahu’s intentions. “I think we’ll have a deal next week.”

On the same day, Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer was expected to meet US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Vice President JD Vance in Washington.

Speaking to BBC News, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said Israel “absolutely” wanted a ceasefire but accused Hamas of “playing hardball.”

“We are putting pressure on Hamas, and if they will not come to the table, the only option we will have to bring back the hostages, is to apply more military pressure,” Danon stated. “The war will end when the hostages are back home.”

About 50 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, with at least 20 believed to be alive.

Last week, a senior Hamas official told the BBC that mediators had intensified efforts to broker a new ceasefire and hostage-release deal, though talks with Israel remained at a standstill.

Israel insists the conflict will only end with Hamas’s complete dismantling. Hamas, meanwhile, has called for a permanent ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Trump’s statement followed Israel’s order for evacuations in northern Gaza ahead of more military operations. On Monday, at least 20 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a seafront café in Gaza City, according to medics and eyewitnesses.

The Israeli military also said it was reviewing reports of civilians being “harmed” near aid distribution centres in Gaza managed by the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

More than 170 humanitarian groups, including Oxfam and Save the Children, have called for GHF to be shut down, accusing Israeli forces of “routinely” firing on Palestinians seeking aid. Israel denies the allegation, saying the foundation is crucial to circumventing Hamas interference.

In March, a prior ceasefire agreement fell apart when Israel launched renewed strikes, which the military described as “pre-emptive strikes… based on Hamas’s readiness to execute terror attacks, build up force and re-arm.”

That ceasefire, which began on 19 January, was structured in three phases but failed to move beyond the first. Stage two included terms for a permanent ceasefire, exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, and complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

(BBC)

ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE