Hamas confirmed on Wednesday that it is studying a fresh 60-day ceasefire proposal for Gaza. This comes hours after President Donald Trump announced that Israel had agreed to the "necessary conditions" to finalize such an agreement. The Palestinian group received the proposal via Qatar and Egypt, key intermediaries who have diligently worked for nearly two years to broker an end to the devastating conflict in the enclave.
This latest proposition represents a renewed effort to halt a war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and left Gaza in ruins. With President Trump pressing for a resolution ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's anticipated visit to Washington on July 7, the upcoming days could prove to be a watershed moment for the region's future.
According to France24, Hamas stated it was "conducting national consultations" while reviewing the proposal with "high responsibility." The group reiterated its stance that any agreement must "guarantee ending the aggression, achieving the withdrawal (of Israel from Gaza) and urgently aiding our people in the Gaza Strip." A Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations informed Dawn that the proposal "includes a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release half of the (22) living" Israeli prisoners in Gaza in exchange for Israel releasing Palestinian prisoners. The source also noted that "there are no fundamental changes in the new proposal" compared to previous U.S. terms.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar affirmed Israel's commitment during a Wednesday press conference, stating, "We are serious in our will to reach a hostage deal and a ceasefire," as reported by People's Dispatch. The Times of Israel indicated that, for the first time, Israel is now "willing to engage in talks over a comprehensive ceasefire and hostage release framework."
Despite these signs of progress, deep divisions remain. Prime Minister Netanyahu declared at a recent meeting that "There will not be a Hamas. There will not be a Hamastan. We're not going back to that. It's over," according to Dawn. Conversely, Hamas has consistently demanded a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, stated that the "Qataris and Egyptians, who have worked very hard to help bring Peace, will deliver this final proposal," adding a stern warning to Hamas that "it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE."
Even as ceasefire negotiations proceed, Israeli military operations have intensified across Gaza. Recent strikes have resulted in the deaths of at least 112 Palestinians and wounded over 400 within a 24-hour period, with homes destroyed in Gaza City's Shejaia and Zeitoun districts, as well as in Khan Younis and Rafah. This escalating violence has forced thousands of Gazans to flee yet again, with newly displaced families setting up tents on roads due to a lack of other available ground. In one particularly tragic incident, an Israeli airstrike on a UN-run school sheltering displaced people in Nuseirat, central Gaza, killed 16 people, according to Hamas-run authorities. Meanwhile, Israel has pushed tanks into eastern areas of Gaza City in the north and into Khan Younis and Rafah in the south, compelling tens of thousands to evacuate. The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, with evacuation orders in Khan Younis and surrounding areas affecting approximately 250,000 Palestinians, many seeking refuge in designated zones like Muwasi and Deir al-Balah.
