Trump says Israel has ‘agreed to necessary conditions' for 60-day Gaza ceasefire ahead of Netanyahu's US visit
Donald Trump
announced on Tuesday that
Israel
has agreed to the 'necessary conditions' to finalise a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza. The aim, he said, is to use this pause to push for an end to a conflict that has now lasted more than 20 months.
Trump wrote on Truth Social, '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. The Qataris and Egyptians, who have worked very hard to help bring Peace, will deliver this 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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!'
Qatar and Egypt to hand over final terms
Qatar and Egypt have spent months behind closed doors pushing talks forward. According to CNN, Qatari officials delivered the fresh proposal to Hamas and Israel on Tuesday. The plan reportedly reflects changes meant to address Hamas's earlier objections.
A source told CNN the plan includes swapping Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners. President Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, helped steer the discussions that produced this new version.
Netanyahu set for White House talks
The push for a deal comes days before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travels to Washington to meet Trump and top US security officials on 7 July. Trump said he would be 'very firm' about ending the fighting.
Live Events
'But he (Netanyahu) wants it too... He wants to end it too,' Trump added during remarks to reporters. He sounded hopeful that an agreement could follow their talks. 'I think we'll have a deal next week,' Trump said.
Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer was also in Washington this week to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance, and Witkoff.
Fighting rages despite ceasefire push
While leaders negotiate, the violence on the ground has shown no sign of stopping. On Monday, Israeli airstrikes struck at least 50 targets in Gaza, with many hitting eastern Gaza City, according to Al Jazeera.
Medical sources told Al Jazeera that at least 68 Palestinians died on Sunday alone. Gaza's Health Ministry says the total toll since October has reached over 56,500 dead and more than 133,000 injured. The war began after Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking over 200 hostages.
Israel's military says it has not met all its war goals yet but admits Hamas fighters have gone underground, making them harder to find.
Hamas position: Cautious, but open
Hamas has not agreed to the plan yet. Speaking to AFP, senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu said the group remains 'ready to agree to any proposal if it will lead to an end to the war and a permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal of occupation forces.' But, he added, 'So far, there has been no breakthrough.'
A BBC report noted Hamas wants a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a long-term truce. Israel insists the conflict will not end until Hamas is dismantled.
This isn't the first time a ceasefire plan has been floated. A similar deal broke down in March after new Israeli strikes, which officials described as pre-emptive action to prevent fresh attacks by Hamas. The earlier three-stage plan never progressed beyond the first stage.
Trump's new push has revived hope among backers that both sides could exchange hostages and prisoners during the 60-day pause. But some US officials fear Hamas may reject the plan again or set fresh conditions.
Meanwhile, reports from Gaza tell of civilians caught in fresh evacuations and strikes. On Monday, at least 20 people died when a seafront café in Gaza City was hit, medics and eyewitnesses told local reporters.
Humanitarian groups continue to sound the alarm. More than 170 charities have urged the shutdown of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, backed by Israel and the US, claiming Israeli troops 'routinely' fire on Palestinians gathering for aid. Israel denies this, arguing Hamas often blocks proper aid distribution.
Economic Times WhatsApp channel
)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
38 minutes ago
- Time of India
Syria-Israel Security Deal Hits A Roadblock? Al-Sharaa Rejects Israeli Air Access Demand
Peace talks between Israel and Syria have hit a major roadblock over a key demand from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel insists on retaining the right to carry out military strikes in Syria even after a peace deal, a condition President Ahmed al-Sharaa has flatly rejected. Al-Sharaa, who rose to power after overthrowing Bashar al-Assad, has been labeled a terrorist by Israeli leaders, but remains open to future normalization, possibly through the Abraham Accords. Despite some progress, both sides remain far apart, with Israel occupying a 1974 buffer zone and Syria unwilling to concede sovereignty. Officials say any potential agreement would likely begin as a cold peace focused on security cooperation, with no immediate public warmth or cultural exchange expected.#Israel #Syria #middleeast #PeaceTalks #AbrahamAccords #Geopolitics #Diplomacy #ConflictResolution #RegionalTensions #MiddleEastPeace #AhmedAlSharaa #netanyahu
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
38 minutes ago
- First Post
How is the India-US trade deal shaping up?
Though US President Donald Trump has expressed optimism that a bilateral trade deal (BTA) with India can be concluded soon, the two sides are said to be apart on key issues including dairy and agriculture. This comes as Trump's July 9 deadline, following which reciprocal tariffs will be reimposed, draws nearer and nearer. But what did Trump say? How is the India-US trade deal shaping up? read more President Donald Trump shakes hands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Oval Office of the White House. AP US President Donald Trump has expressed optimism about a possible bilateral trade deal (BTA) with India. Though there are reports that the trade deal might be finalised this week, the two sides are said to be apart on key issues including agriculture. Trump, who had initially imposed reciprocal tariffs on dozens of countries including a 26 per cent levy on India on April 2, had issued a 90day-pause in order to allow countries to negotiate. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But with the July 9 deadline is drawing nearer and nearer, India and the US have still not reached a deal. But what did Trump say? How is the India-US trade deal shipping up? Let's take a closer look: What Trump said First let's take a brief look at what Trump said. Trump said he thinks the United States and India would reach a bilateral trade agreement. 'I think we are going to have a deal with India. And that is going to be a different kind of a deal. It is going to be a deal where we are able to go in and compete. Right now, India does not accept anybody in. I think India is going to do that, and if they do that, we are going to have a deal for much less tariffs,' Trump said. President Donald Trump said a deal could be imminent. AP Trump's remarks came after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday said that India and the US were 'very close' on a deal. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday had expressed optimism about a deal being concluded. 'We are in the middle — hopefully more than the middle — of a very intricate trade negotiation,' Jaishankar said. 'Obviously, my hope would be that we bring it to a successful conclusion. I cannot guarantee it, because there's another party to that discussion.' Trump in June said the deal with India was imminent. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We have one coming up, maybe with India. A very big one. Where we're going to open up India,' Trump said. 'We're not going to make deals with everybody. Some, we are just going to send them a letter, say thank you very much… My people don't want to do it that way. They want to do some of it, but they want to make more deals than I would do', he added. Now, let's take a look at what we know about the negotiations. How are negotiations going? The Indian delegation led by chief negotiator Rajesh Aggarwal had landed in the United States on Friday. The team, which is negotiating with US officials including those from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), has now extended its stay in Washington. Both teams, mindful of the upcoming deadline set by Trump, were said to be in fierce negotiations over the BTA. However, key sticking points remain. New Delhi is said to be adamant about carving out protections for its dairy and agriculture industry. This is out of consideration for the millions of farmers working on small landholdings across the country. This can also be both a politically and economically sensitive issue to navigate. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India is said to be adamant about protecting its farmers. PTI India, for those not in the know, has never opened up its dairy sector to a foreign competitor. India is the biggest producer of milk in the world. Experts also say any reduction in tariffs on dairy and agriculture could undermine India's Minimum Support Price (MSP) system – which could be devastating to farmers. However, the US negotiators seem insistent about opening up a new market for its agricultural products including genetically modified crops, apples, reducing tariffs on skimmed milk powder and poultry products. India has been reluctant to allow genetically modified crops to be sold out of health concerns. India has banned the commercial cultivation of genetically modified crops. Washington, which is looking to bring down its $54 billion trade deficit with New Delhi, wants to export maize, soya bean, cotton and corn to India. India has told negotiators reducing tariffs on skimmed milk powder and poultry would hurt its small farmers. Indian officials have described the dairy sector as a 'red line' that cannot be crossed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD They earlier insisted that India's national interest will come first in any deal. The US also wants large-scale commitments from India to buy Boeing aircraft, choppers and nuclear reactors. Washington may also pursue trying to get India to relax its FDI rules – which would benefit US behemoths such as Amazon and Walmart. Officials say that India can likely bring down tariffs for ethanol, almonds, apples, raisins, avocados, olive oil, spirits and wines. New Delhi, on the other hand, wants the United States to reduce levies on auto imports and Indian steel. India also wants preferential access for its labour-intensive exports, such as textiles and garments, gems and jewellery, leather goods, and agricultural products like shrimp, oilseeds, grapes, and bananas. The US wants India to open up its agriculture, dairy, aviation and energy sectors, while New Delhi is looking for Washington to cut tariffs on steel and auto parts Officials say that these will not likely hurt those selling these products domestically in the US. Though the government think tank Niti Aayog had in a working paper in May suggested that India can relax tariffs on 'soybean oil imports', that paper has now been taken offline – which raises many questions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India remains the world's biggest importer of edible oil. Officials say that reducing tariffs on maize and soybeans would hurt Indian small farmers. Similarly, bringing down tariffs on maize would result in the production becoming unfeasible for local farmers. If talks don't pan out, India will likely face a 10 per cent across the board levy rather than the 26 per cent tariff Trump imposed. But experts say a 'limited trade pact', like the one the US and UK announced on May 8, is likely. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump in February had agreed to increase bilateral trade, which was at $262 billion in 2024, to $500 billion by 2030. With inputs from agencies
New Indian Express
38 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Paramount to pay $16 million in settlement with Trump over CBS News' '60 Minutes' interview
WASHINGTON: In a case seen as a challenge to free speech, Paramount has agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit filed by US President Donald Trump over the editing of CBS' "60 Minutes" interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris in October. Paramount told media outlets the money will go to Trump's future presidential library, not to the president himself. It said the settlement did not involve an apology. Trump's lawyer said the president had suffered 'mental anguish' over the editing of the interview by CBS News, while Paramount and CBS rejected his contention that it was edited to enhance how Harris sounded. They had sought to get Trump's lawsuit dismissed. There was no immediate word from the White House about the settlement of the case, which Trump filed in Amarillo, Texas. The case has been closely watched by advocates for press freedom and by journalists within CBS, whose lawyers called Trump's lawsuit 'completely without merit' and promised to vigorously fight it after it was filed. In early February, '60 Minutes' released a full, unedited transcript of the interview. Under the settlement reached with help of a mediator, Paramount agreed that 60 Minutes will release transcripts of future interviews of presidential candidates, 'subject to redactions as required for legal and national security concerns,' CBS News cited the statement as saying. Trump, who did not agree to be interviewed by 60 Minutes during the campaign, protested editing where Harris is seen giving two different answers to a question by the show's Bill Whitaker in separate clips aired on 60 Minutes and 'Face the Nation' earlier in the day. CBS said each reply came within Harris' long-winded answer to Whitaker, but was edited to be more succinct. The president's lawyer, Edward Andrew Paltzik, said that caused confusion and 'mental anguish," misleading voters and causing them to pay less attention to Trump and his Truth Social platform. Paramount and controlling shareholder Shari Redstone were seeking the settlement with Trump, whose administration must approve the company's proposed merger with Skydance Media. CBS News President and CEO Wendy McMahon and 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens, who both opposed a settlement, have resigned in recent weeks. The Freedom of the Press Foundation, a media advocacy group that says it is a Paramount shareholder, has said that it would file a lawsuit in protest if a settlement was reached. In December, ABC News settled a defamation lawsuit by Trump over statements made by anchor George Stephanopoulos, agreeing to pay $15 million toward Trump's presidential library rather than engage in a public fight. Meta reportedly paid $25 million to settle Trump's lawsuit against the company over its decision to suspend his social media accounts following the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol.
