U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that it will likely be known within the next 24 hours whether Hamas will accept what he described as a final proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza. Speaking in Washington, the president said, “We’ll see what happens, we are going to know over the next 24 hours,” when asked if Hamas had agreed to the latest framework.
Trump previously announced that Israel had accepted the conditions required for a 60-day ceasefire with Hamas, during which further steps toward ending the war would be negotiated.
A man carries the body of a child during the funeral of Palestinians killed overnight in Israeli attacks on a tent and on people seeking aid, according to Gaza’s health ministry, at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, July 4, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
Hamas Seeks Guarantees
A source close to Hamas said the group is seeking assurances that the U.S.-backed deal would lead to a complete end to Israel’s military campaign. Israeli officials said some details were still being finalized. Meanwhile, dozens of Palestinians were reported killed on Thursday in Israeli strikes, according to Gaza authorities.
Mourners attend the funeral of Palestinians killed overnight in Israeli attacks on a tent and on people seeking aid, according to Gaza’s health ministry, at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, July 4, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
Two Israeli officials noted that key details of the proposal are still under discussion and have not yet been finalized.
The conflict saw a brief pause earlier this year when a two-month ceasefire was implemented, but it ended in March after Israel resumed military operations in Gaza.
Gaza war toll mounts
The latest round of the Israel-Hamas conflict began in October 2023 when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking approximately 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures. In response, Israel launched a prolonged military campaign in Gaza, which Gaza’s health ministry says has killed over 56,000 Palestinians.
Palestinians, wounded by Israeli fire while seeking aid, according to medics, are assisted at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, July 3, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
Palestinians spend time at the seafront during a heat wave in Gaza City, Wednesday, July 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
The war has displaced the entire population of Gaza, caused a deepening hunger crisis, and drawn international legal scrutiny. Israel faces genocide accusations at the International Court of Justice and war crimes allegations at the International Criminal Court—charges it denies.
A prior ceasefire ended on March 18 when Israeli strikes killed more than 400 Palestinians. Earlier this year, Trump faced international condemnation after proposing a U.S. takeover of Gaza, a plan widely denounced by human rights experts and the United Nations as a form of ethnic cleansing.
A person holds a placard with the face of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a hand, as protestors gather at the entrance to Kibbutz Nir Oz, which is located near the Israel Gaza border and was attacked by Hamas on October 7, 2023, on the day Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits for the first time since the October 7, 2023 attack, in Nir Oz, Israel July 3, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
Talks on expanding Abraham Accords
In addition to the ceasefire efforts, Trump also confirmed he had spoken with Saudi Arabia about expanding the Abraham Accords, the normalization agreements between Israel and Gulf states brokered during his first term. “I think a lot of people are going to be joining the Abraham Accords,” he said.
FILE PHOTO: Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa meets with U.S. President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in this handout released on May 14, 2025. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY/File Photo
The comment followed reports that Trump met with Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman at the White House. Axios reported that after that meeting, the Saudi official spoke with Iran’s top military commander, General Abdolrahim Mousavi.
Trump’s meeting with the Saudi defense chief comes just days ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled visit to Washington.
Efforts continue despite rising tensions
This latest push for a ceasefire and expanded regional diplomacy comes amidst ongoing U.S. efforts to de-escalate the war in Gaza and re-engage actors across the region. Whether Hamas will accept the terms remains to be seen.
