Trump announces 60-day ceasefire in the Gaza Strip
US President Donald Trump announced that Israel has agreed to the terms for a 60-day ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Trump wrote on Truth Social, “Israel has agreed to the terms necessary to finalize a 60-day ceasefire”.
He added, “Within the next 60 days, we will work with all parties to end the war… The final proposal will be presented by the Qataris and Egyptians, who have worked hard to help bring about peace”.
The US President continued, “Representatives of my administration held a long and productive meeting with the Israelis today regarding Gaza”.
He expressed his hope that “Hamas would accept the deal for the good of the Middle East,” noting that if “Hamas doesn’t accept the deal, things will get worse”.
The contacts took place under increasing US pressure and the US president’s desire to end the war in Gaza.
The talks may take place in Doha or Cairo, where the Israeli side is expressing cautious optimism about the possibility of achieving significant progress for the first time in many months.
According to Israeli Channel 12 reported, citing sources, “This may sound like common sense, but Trump means what he says,” noting, “there has been significant American pressure increasing in recent days, and concurrent Qatari pressure on Hamas to bring the parties into the negotiating room… We’re more optimistic… Solutions are taking shape and there is a more positive approach moving forward”.
According to estimates, the government is now willing to consider new formulas it previously would not have accepted, particularly regarding guarantees that the launch of a deal will lead to an end to the war.
The change in position is attributed to intense American pressure and a desire to achieve progress before the scheduled meeting between Netanyahu and Trump next Monday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with President Trump at the White House, in a meeting considered crucial to progress on the Gaza conflict and the release of prisoners.
In recent discussions, Netanyahu has repeatedly emphasized that the key to success is Qatari pressure.
According to him, the United States must apply direct and heavy pressure on Qatar to threaten senior Hamas leaders with expulsion and additional sanctions if they fail to make the organization’s positions more flexible.
If the talks succeed, it will be a gradual, rather than comprehensive, deal at this stage, according to the updated Witkoff formula.
Under this formula, fighting will cease for two months in a complete truce, with the release of 10 living prisoners in two separate batches, as well as the release of bodies of prisoners in batches during the truce period.
Israeli sources estimate that if the first deal is implemented, American pressure, coupled with the “large package” of expanding the Abraham Accords, will enable the Witkoff formula to be transformed into a full-fledged formula for ending the war and returning all prisoners.
