A Gaza ceasefire is the closest it has been in months. Here's what we know
'We have to get it over with,' Trump said Friday. 'We have to do something about Gaza.'
Israel and Hamas have long had conflicting demands that negotiators have been unable to bridge, but with both now agreeing the revised proposal, for the first time in months an agreement seems within reach.
The renewed efforts gathered steam following a truce between Iran and Israel but also reflect US pressure and a shift in Israel's war goals. Here's what to know.
Since the Israel-Iran ceasefire on June 24, mediators Qatar and Egypt – as well as the United States – have redoubled their calls for a new Gaza truce. A Qatari foreign ministry spokesman told CNN the Israel-Iran agreement had created 'momentum' for the latest talks between Israel and Hamas.
CNN speaks to families devastated by the Israeli strike on a waterfront cafe in Gaza City Netanyahu's government has faced mounting international criticism for the suffering its war is inflicting on Palestinians in Gaza.
Israel imposed a total blockade on humanitarian deliveries to the enclave in March. It somewhat eased the blockade in May, after a chorus of global experts warned that hundreds of thousands of people could soon starve.
Hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by Israeli strikes in recent days. And aid distribution has been marred by violence, with hundreds killed on their way to try to obtain food from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the controversial US-backed aid initiative that began operating at the end of May.
Pressure is also growing on Netanyahu from within Israel.
His government is propped up by far-right figures who want to escalate the fighting in Gaza, but opposition leader Yair Lapid said Wednesday that he would join the coalition government to make a hostage deal possible. Polls have repeatedly shown that a majority of the country wants a deal to bring the hostages home, even if it means an end to the war.
In addition to the aim of bringing the hostages home, Netanyahu has not wavered from his more maximalist aims: disarmament of Gaza and the destruction of Hamas' military capabilities and governance abilities.
But last weekend, the prime minister made a rhetorical shift in laying out Israel's goals – for the first time prioritizing the return of hostages ahead of what he once called the 'supreme objective' of defeating Hamas.
Netanyahu said 'many opportunities have opened up' following Israel's military operations in Iran, including the possibility of bringing home everyone still held captive by Hamas. 'Firstly, to rescue the hostages,' he said. 'Of course, we will also need to solve the Gaza issue, defeat Hamas, but I believe we will accomplish both missions.'
The comments were welcomed by families of hostages held in Gaza, who have criticized him for not clearly placing releasing their Ioved ones as Israel's primary goal. Only a small number of hostages have been rescued in military operations rather than freed under truces.
The Israeli military this week recommended pursuing a diplomatic path in Gaza after nearly two years of fighting and the elimination of much of Hamas' senior leadership.
On Tuesday, a military official told CNN that Israel has not fully achieved all of its war goals, but as Hamas' forces have shrunk and gone into hiding, it has become more difficult to effectively target what remains of the militant group. 'It's harder now to achieve tactical goals,' the official said.
Hamas announced on Friday that it 'submitted a positive response to the mediators, and the movement is fully prepared to immediately enter into a round of negotiations regarding the mechanism for implementing this framework.'
The militant group has three main demands: a permanent end to the fighting, for humanitarian assistance to be carried out by the United Nations, and for Israel to retreat to the positions it held on March 2 this year, before it renewed its offensive and occupied the northern part of the Strip.
A senior Hamas official told CNN in late May that the group is 'ready to return the hostages in one day – just we want a guarantee that war will not come again after that.' The hostages are Hamas' key leverage in negotiations, and the militant group has refused to agree to a release without a path to end the conflict.
In response to the earlier Trump administration-backed ceasefire proposal in May, Hamas requested US assurances that permanent ceasefire negotiations will continue and that fighting will not resume after the 60-day pause.
Whether the ceasefire will be temporary or a pathway to a permanent truce is the biggest sticking point between the warring parties.
While Israel wants to eradicate Hamas following the Oct. 7 attacks, the group has shown little willingness to relinquish its political and military power in Gaza.
Officials in the group have given contradictory statements as to Hamas' role in a post-war Gaza. The group's spokesperson, Hazem Qassem, has said that the group is not 'clinging to power' and does not have to be part of arrangements 'in the next phase.'
While the fine detail of the proposal is yet to be released it is clear that the revised plan is an attempt to bridge some of the differences between Israel and Hamas.
A source familiar with the negotiations said that the timeline of the latest proposal calls for the release of 10 living Israeli hostages and 18 deceased hostages spread out over the full 60-day period.
Of the 50 hostages still in Gaza, at least 20 of them are believed to be alive, according to the Israeli government.
Similiar to previous ceasefires, on the first day of the truce, Hamas would release eight living hostages. In exchange, Israel would release an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees, and withdraw its forces from pre-agreed locations in northern Gaza.
Israel and Hamas would also immediately enter into negotiations for a permanent ceasefire once the initial truce goes into effect, the source said.
Under the deal, hostages will be released without ceremonies or fanfare at Israel's request – unlike during the last truce, when Hamas staged public propaganda events around hostage transfers that sparked outrage in Israel.
Humanitarian aid will immediately begin to flow into Gaza at the start of the ceasefire, including from the United Nations and from other aid organizations, similar to the previous ceasefire which began on January 19.
This leaves the fate of the US-backed GHF and its role in Gaza unclear.
The US and the mediators have provided stronger assurances about reaching a settlement to end the war in Gaza as part of the updated proposal, an Israeli official told CNN, something that in principle should address one of Hamas' key concerns. The official did not provide the specific language in the document, but said the wording is stronger than previous assurances.
Although both sides have accepted the proposal more talks must take place before a ceasefire begins.
In these proximity talks, likely to take place in Doha or Cairo, negotiators shuttle back and forth between the two sides to hammer out the final details of the agreement.
One of the key issues to resolve during proximity talks will be the timeline and location of the withdrawal of Israeli forces in Gaza during the 60-day ceasefire, according to the source.
In the 21 months of war between Israel and Hamas, ceasefires have been in place for a total of only nine weeks.
More than 57,000 people, of which more than 17,000 are children, have been killed in Gaza during the fighting, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
The first ceasefire came into effect in November 2023, but lasted only a week. In that time, 105 hostages were released from Gaza, in exchange for scores of Palestinian prisoners.
A second ceasefire was not struck until January 2025, shortly before Trump's return to the White House. In just over 8 weeks – the first 'phase' of the ceasefire – Hamas freed 33 hostages, with Israel releasing around 50 Palestinian prisoners for every Israeli freed.
Under the planned second stage, Israel was supposed to agree to a permanent ceasefire. But Israel resumed its offensive on March 18, shattering the ceasefire and derailing the talks, saying it did so to put pressure on Hamas to release the remaining hostages.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
33 minutes ago
- New York Post
F-16 escorts plane out of area after airspace incursion near Trump's golf course
An F-16 U.S. fighter jet on Saturday intercepted a general aviation aircraft that violated a temporary restriction of the airspace over U.S. President Donald Trump's golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, the U.S military said in a statement. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said the incident, which occurred around 2:39 p.m. (1839 GMT), marked the fifth unauthorized incursion of the restricted airspace on Saturday. A spokesperson confirmed the jet was an F-16. NORAD aircraft conducted a so-called headbutt maneuver to get the civilian pilot's attention and the aircraft was safely escorted out of the area, NORAD said in a statement. 3 An F-16 fighter jet departing Volkel Air Base. 3 Trump at Joint Base Andrews on June 21, 2025. AFP via Getty Images 3 Trump's Bedminster golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Splash News The White House had no immediate comment on the incident. NORAD has reported multiple similar incidents in recent weeks, and is urging general aviation pilots to check all notifications before taking off in the area.
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
Musk says he is forming new political party after fallout with Trump
Billionaire Elon Musk said Saturday he is forming a third political party, after a dramatic falling out with Donald Trump, indicating he will make good on threats he made if the president's domestic policy bill became law. 'When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy,' Trump's former 'first buddy' said on his social media platform, X. 'Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.' Musk, the largest individual donor to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and, until recently, a close adviser to the president who spearheaded his administration's push to cut government waste, had criticized Trump's 'big beautiful bill' because of estimates that it would add trillions of dollars to the federal deficit. Musk's criticism of the bill was the catalyst for a major falling out between the two men last month. That feud seemingly cooled after Musk expressed regret and deleted the most incendiary social media posts he made about Trump, but it reignited in the last several days as the bill neared passage. Trump signed the bill into law on Friday. It's unclear to what extent Musk has taken steps to legally form the party, which would be required to register with the Federal Election Commission. The most recent FEC filings showed no indication that has happened. The world's richest man has indicated he wants a party that is fiscally conservative and reins in spending but has offered few other details about what the party's platform would be. Musk and Trump hold similar views on contemporary social issues. But Musk has argued the Republican policy agenda will increase the debt, calling it 'debt slavery.' The two-party system in the United States has long been criticized by both registered Democrats and registered Republicans, but efforts in the last century to form a third party have shown little success. Billionaire Ross Perot ran for president as an independent in 1992, winning nearly a fifth of the popular vote, but carried no states in the election, which was won by Bill Clinton. As CNN previously reported, experts in campaign finance and political science say it is financially and legally difficult to create a new party, and voters and candidates are hesitant to join. Musk said in other posts to social media this week that his party would become an active political force during next year's midterm elections and that it would initially focus on supporting candidates in just a handful of House and Senate races. Trump, in turn, has made his own threats against the man who at one point was his most visible adviser. The president said earlier this week the government may reconsider its massive contracts with Musk's companies and described the Department of Government Efficiency, which the billionaire previously helmed, as a monster that may 'go back and eat Elon.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
David Lammy first UK minister to visit Syria since 2011 uprising
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has become the first UK minister to visit Syria since the uprising that led to the country's civil war began 14 years ago. Lammy met Syria's interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa eight months after the collapse of the Assad regime and as the new Islamic-led government continues to establish control within the country. Alongside the visit, the UK government announced an additional £94.5m support package to cover humanitarian aid and support longer-term recovery within Syria and countries helping Syrian refugees. Lammy told the BBC the purpose of his meeting was to promote inclusivity, transparency and accountability with the new government. "I'm here to speak to this new government, to urge them to continue to be inclusive, to ensure that there's transparency and accountability in the way that they govern," he said. "But [also] to stand by the Syrian people and Syria as it makes this peaceful transition over the coming months." Syria is in a fragile situation with a new Islamic-led government in charge. In December, rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group which has been proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK, UN and US, stormed Damascus, toppling the Assad regime which had ruled the country for 54 years. Since then, Western countries have sought to reset relations with the country. At the end of June, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order ending sanctions against the country. The White House said at the time it would monitor the new Syrian government's actions including by "addressing foreign terrorists" and "banning Palestinian terrorist groups". The UK has also lifted sanctions. Al-Sharaa met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris in May while other foreign officials, including Ukraine's foreign minister, have visited Syria. Many members of Syria's new government, including the interim president, were members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Asked how the government deals with a group it had listed on the proscribed terror group as a pseudonym for al-Qaeda, Lammy said he recognised the country has a bloody recent history associated with terrorism and war, but said the UK is looking "to the future" and engaging with the new government. Various violent attacks against minority groups have been committed in Syria in recent months. Hundreds have been killed from the Alawite minority, there were violent attacks on the Druze community, and recently a brutal attack on peaceful worshippers inside a church in Damascus. Internationally, these attacks have prompted concern about how much Syria's new government can protect minorities but also provide safety and stability. Almost every day, there are reported cases of killing or kidnapping. Lammy said: "It's important that the UK lean in to ensure that the balance is tipped in the right direction, a balance towards accountability, transparency, inclusivity for all of the communities that make up this country, a prosperous one and a peaceful one." Within Syria, many people are worried the government is slipping towards a new form of dictatorship. There are restrictions on social freedoms, the role of women is being marginalised in the government, and there is more and more enforcement of Islamic practices rather than a clear governance based on civic codes representing the whole society. In these early days of the government there are also fears around how it is being formed. Only one female minister has been appointed and al-Sharaa has made almost every other appointment - with no election, referendum or opinion polls. Many appointments in the government are reported to be based on connections rather than qualifications, and most of those in charge have a radical Islamic agenda and are enforcing it. Lammy said the UK wants Syria to "move in the direction of peace, of prosperity, of stability for the people and an inclusive country" and will use humanitarian aid to help that. He added the UK would monitor the situation to ensure the new government ruled the population in an inclusive manner. The UK government is also supporting the Organisation of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to help dismantle Assad's chemical weapons in Syria. A further £2m was committed to the organisation this financial year in addition to around £837,000 provided since the fall of Assad. There are many challenges ahead of Syria - both internally and in the region. Israel has invaded parts of Syria and carried out hundreds of air strikes, and continues to hold hundreds of square kilometres inside Syrian territory. Lammy said he "urged the Israeli government to think again about some of their actions" to avoid undermining "the progress that could be made in this new Syria". Hundreds of foreign fighters and their families have been held in detention camps in north-west Syria for years, including dozens from the UK. Asked whether the UK was going to take them back home, Lammy did not give a clear answer. He said he had discussed the issue of camps with Syria's president, as well as how to help the country deal with counterterrorism and irregular migration. The situation in Syria remains precarious, and its security is at risk with threats from the Islamic State group and radical jihadist fighters who have joined the government. While international support will certainly help the war-torn country recover, it could also help pressure the government to be a representative of a diverse and open society.
