Trump says Israel agrees to 'necessary conditions to finalize' 60-day Gaza ceasefire
CBC
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Israel has agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and warned the militant group Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen.
Trump announced the development — upon which Israel has yet to comment — as he prepares to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for talks at the White House on Monday. The U.S. leader has been increasing pressure on the Israeli government and Hamas to broker a ceasefire and hostage agreement and bring about an end to the war in Gaza.
"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 on social media, saying the Qataris and Egyptians would deliver the 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," he said.
Trump's promise that it was his best and final offer may find a skeptical audience with Hamas. Even before the expiration of the war's longest ceasefire in March, Trump has repeatedly issued dramatic ultimatums to pressure Hamas to agree to longer pauses in the fighting that would see the release of more hostages and a return of more aid to Gaza's civilian populace.
Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer was in Washington on Tuesday for talks with senior administration officials to discuss a potential Gaza ceasefire, Iran and other matters. Dermer was expected to meet with Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Earlier Tuesday, Trump repeated his hope for forging an Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal next week.
Asked if it's time to put pressure on Netanyahu to get a ceasefire deal done, Trump said the Israeli prime minister was ready to come to an agreement.
"He wants to," Trump said in an exchange with reporters while visiting a new immigration detention facility in Florida. "I think we'll have a deal next week."
Talks between Israel and Hamas have repeatedly faltered over a major sticking point — whether the war should end as part of any ceasefire agreement. About 50 hostages remain captive in Gaza, with less than half believed to be alive.
The development came as more than 150 international charities and humanitarian groups called Tuesday for disbanding the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a controversial Israeli- and U.S.-backed system that's distributing aid in Gaza, because of chaos and deadly violence against Palestinians seeking food at its sites.
The joint statement by groups including Oxfam, Save the Children and Amnesty International followed the killings of at least 10 Palestinians who were seeking desperately needed food, witnesses and health officials said. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 37 in southern Gaza's Khan Younis, according to Nasser Hospital.
"Tents, tents they are hitting with two missiles?" asked Um Seif Abu Leda, whose son was killed in the strikes. Mourners threw flowers on the body bags.
Before Trump's announcement, Israel's defence minister, Israel Katz, had warned that his country would respond forcefully to the firing of a missile the military said originated from Yemen. Sirens sounded across parts of Israel, alerting residents to the attack and the launch of two projectiles from Gaza. All were intercepted by Israeli defence systems.
