A dramatic and internationally resonant development on July 2, 2025, former U.S. President Donald J. Trump declared that Israel has agreed to the “necessary conditions” for a 60-day cease‑fire in Gaza, urging Hamas to accept the “final proposal” brokered by Qatar and Egypt. The announcement, delivered via Trump’s Truth Social platform and amplified across X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and global news outlets, has generated both cautious optimism and strategic caution amid a conflict that has claimed over 56,000 Palestinian and 1,700 Israeli lives since October 2023
The Core: Cease‑Fire Terms & Framework
According to Trump, the proposal rests on several pillars:
- A 60-day halt to hostilities, during which both sides would negotiate a more enduring peace.
- The release of hostages: an initial priority would see 10 living and 15 deceased Israeli captives freed by Hamas.
- Extension to a permanent truce, contingent on negotiations covering Israeli withdrawal, Hamas disarmament, and Gaza’s governance post-conflict.
Trump emphasized that Israel has already assented to these terms. He cast the proposal as urgent: “It will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE,” he warned in a Truth Social post.
Israeli Response & Next Steps
Israeli officials have reportedly signed off on the framework. Ron Dermer, senior adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, participated in productive meetings with Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and VP J.D. Vance.
Yet cabinet-level attention remains divided. Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition is under internal strain, with some ministers advocating for a decisive military conclusion rather than a temporary pause. Meanwhile, Israeli civilians have petitioned for renewed efforts to secure hostage release, with one demonstrator, Einav Zangauker—mother of a captive—declaring, “There’s a deal on the table… What prevents it is Netanyahu’s refusal to end the war”.
Details reveal that the truce is envisioned as a launchpad for a roadmap: Israeli forces would maintain limited buffer zones while indirect negotiations address Gaza’s future governance, involving local Palestinian actors unaffiliated with Hamas or the Palestinian Authority, with support from Arab states.
Israeli military preparations have concurrently advanced, including civilian evacuation orders in northern Gaza regions. Authorities caution that, absent Hamas’s cooperation, expanded offensives could resume with intensified force .
Hamas Response: Cautious, Noncommittal
As of now, Hamas has neither accepted nor outright rejected the proposal. Some internal sources signal conditional openness, advocating for stronger guarantees that hostilities would not resume post-cease‑fire—such as gradual implementation of releases and verifiable commitments from Israel.
Indeed, Hamas’s central demands remain immutable: a permanent cease‑fire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Until those conditions are met, they are unlikely to endorse a temporary, non-binding agreement.
Humanitarian Context
Trump and mediators have linked their cease‑fire push to the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza. With hospitals non‑functional, malnutrition rising, and over 500 civilians killed amid aid distribution queues, the proposal is being framed as essential to prevent further immediate suffering.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, financed by U.S. and Israeli aid, has drawn sharp criticism: 4,000+ injured and 500+ fatalities among civilians accessing its services have prompted NGOs to denounce the distribution as dangerous, even intentionally negligent. Doctors Without Borders described it as “slaughter masquerading as aid.”
Voices & Stakes
President Donald Trump (Truth Social, July 1):
“Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60‑Day CEASEFIRE… 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.”
Rep. Ronny Jackson, X:
“Take the deal, or face the consequences.”.
Aaron David Miller, foreign policy analyst (X):
“The main holdup today is exactly the same as it was last year: Israel’s unwillingness to permanently end the war and Hamas’s refusal to accept anything less.”.
Einav Zangauker, Israeli protester:
“There’s a deal on the table… What prevents it is Netanyahu’s refusal to end the war.”.
Donald Trump’s declaration of Israel’s commitment to a 60‑day cease‑fire in Gaza represents a high-stakes gamble—an internationally-visible legal and diplomatic thrust amid humanitarian catastrophe. With hostages, civilian lives, and regional stability at stake, the world watches Hamas’s response and the diplomatic machinery of Washington, Jerusalem, Doha, and Cairo in the coming days.
