Israel ‘has agreed terms for 60-day Gaza ceasefire’: Trump

Israel warns it will turn Gaza into ‘dust’ unless ceasefire negotiations are advanced as Donald Trump warns Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen.

Donald Trump will host Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.

Donald Trump has claimed Israel has agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, as Israel threatens to turn Gaza into “dust” if Hamas doesn’t agree to move forward on a truce.

Mr Trump announced the development as he prepares to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for talks at the White House on Monday, and warned Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen.

“My Representatives had a long and productive meeting with the Israelis today on Gaza. Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalise the 60 Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the War,” Mr Trump wrote, 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.

US and Israeli officials confirmed Mr Trump’s claim. An Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post the country’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer had informed Mr Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff Israel had accepted the proposal and was ready to start talks with Hamas to finalise the agreement. A US official also confirmed the agreement, telling the Axios news website: “We came with ideas, and our objective today was to get Israelis to agree. And they did.”

Hamas said Wednesday that it was open to a ceasefire agreement in Gaza but stopped short of accepting the US-backed proposal and reiterated its stance that there would be no deal unless there is a commitment for a permanent end to the war.

Hamas official Taher al-Nunu said the group was “ready and serious regarding reaching an agreement.” Hamas was “ready to accept any initiative that clearly leads to the complete end to the war.”

The President 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.

Qatar has reportedly submitted a mediation proposal to both Israel and Hamas which includes the release of eight hostages on the first day of the ceasefire, followed by the release of two additional hostages near the end of a 60-day truce. They would be accompanied by the bodies of 15 dead hostages.

Negotiators from the mediating countries Qatar and Egypt told Israeli media Hamas was also likely to demand as a condition of peace the return to the old mechanisms for distributing humanitarian aid, which Israel had abolished. Alternatively, the militants want a new system established to replace that managed by the US and Israel backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

On Wednesday, Israel warned if negotiations didn’t advance the military would further expand its ground operation.

“We’ll do to Gaza City and the central camps what we did to Rafah. Everything will turn to dust,” a senior Israeli official told Axios. “It’s not our preferred option, but if there’s no movement toward a hostage deal, we won’t have any other choice.”

Mr Trump said earlier he would be “very firm” with Mr Netanyahu when the two leaders meet at the White House next week.

Mr Trump said the Israeli prime minister “wants to end the war”, adding that a deal to release the remaining Israeli hostages could be agreed next week.

“We hope it’s going to happen,” he told reporters as he left Washington for a day trip to Florida.

Hamas has said it is willing to free the remaining hostages in Gaza under any deal to end the war, but the group has refused to lay down its arms. Israel has said the conflict can end only if Hamas is disarmed and dismantled.

AP