Israel Signals Finality as Hamas Considers Trump Ceasefire Proposal
Negotiations surrounding a potential ceasefire in Gaza continue, with Israel indicating a sense of urgency and Hamas expressing the need for further discussion – a position echoed by Qatar the previous day. The current proposal,put forward by former US President Donald Trump,presents a complex set of conditions,leaving the path forward uncertain given recent escalations in rhetoric against Hamas.
The Trump plan demands the release of the remaining 48 hostages held by Hamas within 72 hours of a ceasefire. In return, Israel would release approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and gradually withdraw it’s troops to a buffer zone along the Gaza Strip’s border. The agreement would also necessitate a notable increase in humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts within Gaza.
However, the plan notably lacks provisions for the establishment of a Palestinian state, a key demand of Hamas and the broader Arab community.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already publicly stated that Israeli forces would maintain a presence in much of Gaza, contradicting the plan’s stated terms regarding troop withdrawal.
The proposal places significant demands on Hamas, effectively requiring a near-unconditional surrender to halt the Israeli offensive. The group has previously rejected elements of the plan, including disarmament and the continued presence of Israeli troops, during prior negotiation attempts. While Hamas has acknowledged receiving the proposal, it has yet to issue a formal public response, stating it is currently under review.
Two militant groups allied with Hamas in Gaza have already rejected the Trump proposal, voicing concerns that it would grant Israel de facto control over the Gaza Strip. Surrendering arms and accepting international, and potentially Israeli, troops in Gaza would likely diminish Hamas’s influence in Palestinian politics.
Discussions regarding the plan are expected to take place in Doha, Qatar, where Egyptian and Qatari mediators will be joined by Turkey’s head of intelligence. It remains unclear whether Hamas leadership will directly participate in these deliberations, particularly following an Israeli strike in Doha last month targeting Hamas officials.
Despite Hamas’s reservations, the proposal has garnered support from several international actors, including the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the united Arab Emirates.
Trump’s plan currently stands as the sole ceasefire proposal on the table as the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate under ongoing Israeli bombardment and aid restrictions. In the past 24 hours, two more Palestinians have died from starvation, bringing the total number of starvation-related deaths to 455 since the conflict began nearly two years ago.
Over the last 24 hours, at least 51 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, including five individuals struck by an Israeli tank while collecting water and others sheltering in a repurposed school in Gaza City. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 66,000 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 170,000 wounded during Israel’s military campaign, which was launched following the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas-led militants that resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths in southern Israel.
