Trump: Israel has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza.

Washington - Saeed Erekat

US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that Israel had agreed to the terms of a proposed 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, warning Hamas to accept the agreement before the situation deteriorates further. This announcement came just days before Trump hosts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday for crucial talks aimed at ending the war on Gaza, according to informed sources.

"Representatives of my department held a long and productive meeting with the Israelis today regarding Gaza," Trump said in a statement. "Israel has agreed to the terms necessary to implement a 60-day ceasefire, during which we will work with all parties to end the war." Trump added that Qatar and Egypt will present the final proposal to Hamas.

Trump urged Hamas to accept the agreement, warning it that rejecting it would have dire consequences: "I hope, for the sake of the Middle East, that Hamas accepts this agreement, because the situation will not get better; it will get worse."

According to State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, the United States has intensified its diplomatic efforts in recent weeks, pressuring both Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire agreement that also includes a mechanism for the release of the hostages. Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer was in Washington on Tuesday to meet with senior US officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, to discuss a potential truce, regional threats, and Iran.

According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza (as of early July 2025), the number of Palestinian deaths reached more than 56,000 citizens, and more than 133,000 were injured, the overwhelming majority of whom were women and children.

The Israeli government claims that the first Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, killed approximately 1,200 people, including Israeli civilians and security personnel (including 311 soldiers). Since then, the Israeli military has reported that at least 891 soldiers have been killed in Gaza since Israel began its offensive on the besieged enclave.

The current ceasefire discussions come amid escalating humanitarian concerns in Gaza. More than 150 international aid organizations, including Oxfam, Save the Children, and Amnesty International, issued a joint statement on Tuesday calling for the dismantling of the controversial Israeli- and US-backed aid distribution system in Gaza. The system has faced mounting criticism amid reports of chaos and violence at food distribution points. According to documented figures, more than 510 Palestinians have been killed while trying to access food, a tragedy that has sparked the latest wave of condemnation.

Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes continued across Gaza, with Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis reporting at least 37 people killed in southern Gaza.

Complicating matters further, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stern warning after Israeli defense systems intercepted a rocket believed to have been launched from Yemen. Sirens sounded across Israel, and officials reported two additional projectiles being launched from Gaza. Despite all of them being intercepted, Katz warned that Yemen could "meet the fate of Tehran," a reference to Israel's 12-day war with Iran and the Iranian response that inflicted significant damage on Israel.

It's worth noting that when Trump was asked on Tuesday whether it was time to pressure Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire agreement, he said the Israeli prime minister was ready to reach an agreement: "He wants to. I think we'll reach an agreement next week."

"The operation in Gaza is the main arena," IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said on Friday. "In the near future, we will reach the lines we have defined for the current phase of Operation Gideon. From there, operational options will be developed and presented to the political leadership."

He added, "We will continue to work with determination to achieve the two main goals of the war - the return of the prisoners and the defeat of Hamas."

Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau and spokesman, said in response to the ceasefire proposal on May 30: "After careful study, it becomes clear that the Israeli response is primarily aimed at entrenching the occupation and perpetuating the policies of killing and starvation, even during what is supposed to be a temporary period of calm."

Although Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has not detailed the agenda for his upcoming visit to the White House, he has informed his cabinet that a trade deal will be among the topics to be discussed. Iran is also expected to feature prominently in the talks, particularly in light of Trump's success in brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Tehran. With the region still flaring and the humanitarian situation deteriorating, all eyes will be on Washington next week to see whether diplomacy will achieve a long-awaited truce, or whether the Gaza war will extend into an even bloodier chapter.