Gaza ceasefire: Hamas responds as Donald Trump says Israel has agreed to 60-day ceasefire

Mr Trump announced the development on Tuesday as he prepares to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for talks at the White House next week.

The declaration comes as Hamas suggested it was open to a ceasefire agreement with Israel, but insisted on its long-standing position that any deal must bring an end to the war in Gaza. The militant group stopped short of accepting a US-backed proposal announced by Mr Trump hours earlier.

The US 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,” Mr Trump wrote on social media, saying the Qataris and Egyptians would deliver the final proposal.

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“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.”

The Hamas response

Hamas’s response raised questions about whether the latest offer could lead to an actual pause in fighting.

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

A Hamas delegation is expected to meet Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the proposal, according to an Egyptian official.

Throughout the nearly 21-month war, ceasefire talks have repeatedly faltered over whether the war should end as part of a deal.

Hamas has said it is willing to free the remaining 50 hostages, less then half of whom are said to be alive, in exchange for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war.

Israel says it will only agree to end the war if Hamas surrenders, disarms and exiles itself, something the group refuses to do. An Israeli official said the latest proposal calls for a 60-day deal that would include a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a surge in humanitarian aid to the territory.

The round of meetings

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.

Me Dermer was expected to meet vice-president JD Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff.

Charities force the issue on aid

The development came as more than 150 international charities and humanitarian groups called for the disbanding of a controversial Israeli and US-backed system to distribute 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 air strikes killed at least 37 in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, according to Nasser Hospital.

Before Mr Trump’s announcement, Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, had warned 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.

The missile launch marked the first attack by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels since the end of the 12-day war initiated by Israel with Iran. Mr Katz said Yemen could face the same fate as Tehran.