Hamas says it's ready for a ceasefire but it must put an an end to the war in Gaza
Trump said Tuesday that Israel had agreed on terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza and urged Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsen. The U.S. 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.
Trump said the 60-day period would be used to work toward ending the war — something Israel says it will not accept until Hamas is defeated. He said a deal might come together as soon as next week.
But Hamas' response, which emphasized its demand that the war end, raised questions about whether the latest offer could materialize into an actual pause in fighting.
Hamas official Taher al-Nunu said the militant group was 'ready and serious regarding reaching an agreement.'
He said Hamas was 'ready to accept any initiative that clearly leads to the complete end to the war.'
A Hamas delegation is expected to meet with Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the proposal, according to an Egyptian official. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to discuss the talks with the media.
Israel and Hamas disagree about how the war should end
Throughout the nearly 21-month-long war, ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas have repeatedly faltered over whether the war should end as part of any 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 mediators and the U.S. would provide assurances about talks on an end to the war, but Israel is not committing to that as part of the latest proposal, the official said.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the details of the proposed deal with the media.
It was not clear how many hostages would be freed as part of the agreement, but previous proposals have called for the release of about 10.
Israel has yet to publicly comment on Trump's announcement. On Monday, Trump is set to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for talks at the White House, days after Ron Dermer, a senior Netanyahu adviser, held discussions with top U.S. officials about Gaza, Iran and other matters.
Trump issues another warning
On Tuesday, Trump wrote on social media that Israel had 'agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60 Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the War.'
'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,' he said.
Trump's warning may find a skeptical audience with Hamas. Even before the expiration of the war's longest ceasefire in March, Trump has repeatedly issued dramatic ultimatums to pressure Hamas to agree to longer pauses in the fighting that would see the release of more hostages and a return of more aid to Gaza's civilian populace.
Still, Trump views the current moment as a potential turning point in the brutal conflict that has left more than 56,000 dead in the Palestinian territory. The Gaza Health Ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its death count, but says that more than half of the dead are women and children.
The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking roughly 250 hostages.
The war has left the coastal Palestinian territory in ruins, with much of the urban landscape flattened in the fighting. More than 90% of Gaza's 2.3 million population has been displaced, often multiple times. And the war has sparked a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, pushing hundreds of thousands of people toward hunger.
___
Mroue reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Josef Federman contributed from Jerusalem.
___
Follow the AP's war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
20 minutes ago
- CBC
Trump's Big Beautiful Bill nears approval
The U.S. Congress inched towards approving President Donald Trump's Big Beautiful Bill, despite attempts by Democrats to stop it. The bill is Trump's signature legislation which includes massive spending increases on the military and immigration enforcement while slashing social programs including health insurance and food assistance.
Toronto Star
22 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
Wisconsin Senate passes state budget in rush to help hospitals
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Senate passed a compromise state budget on a bipartisan vote Wednesday in a race to approve a deal reached between Gov. Tony Evers and majority Republicans. Lawmakers were rushing to pass the plan and get it signed into law before federal law changes take effect that could cost Wisconsin hospitals $1.5 billion. The Assembly, also controlled by Republicans, was expected to pass it late Wednesday night and send the $111 billion budget to Evers for his quick signature.
Calgary Herald
44 minutes ago
- Calgary Herald
Trump announces Vietnam trade deal with 20% import tariff
Article content The S&P 500 rose after Trump's post, with shares in furniture stocks and apparel makers recording gains. ON Holding, Nike and Lululemon all jumped to hit session highs. Article content Some U.S. officials wanted to calibrate tariffs for Vietnam and others in Southeast Asia to ensure they're sufficiently lower than what's imposed on China, to encourage production to leave that country. Article content The higher 40 per cent rate announced Wednesday would be imposed on goods deemed to be 'transshipping' — where components from China and possibly other nations are routed through Vietnam or subject to only minimal final assembly before being exported to the U.S. Article content That's been a major concern for Trump's top trade advisers, including Peter Navarro, who described Vietnam as 'essentially a colony of communist China' during an April interview with Fox News. Article content Full details of what goods would be subject to that higher rate were not immediately available. Article content Article content U.S. exports to Vietnam were worth just US$15 billion last year. Trump touted the prospect of a boost in auto sales as a result of the deal. Article content 'It is my opinion that the SUV or, as it is sometimes referred to, Large Engine Vehicle, which does so well in the United States, will be a wonderful addition to the various product lines within Vietnam,' he wrote on Truth Social. Article content Although Trump shared the broad contours of the agreement, the White House has not yet released a term sheet or published any kind of proclamation codifying the arrangement. And some of the details could still be in development. The U.S. and U.K. first announced their own trade deal in early May, but it wasn't until mid-June that Trump signed an executive order implementing the accord. And even then, key details have been set aside to be addressed later. Article content While Trump and his team initially envisioned holding concurrent negotiations with dozens of trading partners, the president and his advisers have suggested in recent weeks that they will just focus talks with major economies and unilaterally issue levies on smaller countries or those that don't reach agreements. Article content Article content The deal with Vietnam was struck after weeks of discussions during which the U.S. pressured the country to get tougher on trade fraud, ensure stricter enforcement against the transshipment of Chinese products, and also pushed for the removal of non-tariff barriers. Article content Vietnam offered to remove all tariffs and repeatedly promised to purchase more American goods. Senior Vietnamese officials flew to the U.S. to rally support and sign deals, including for US$3 billion of agricultural goods. The trade minister also wooed executives from Nike, Gap and others to encourage them to get behind negotiation efforts. Article content Officials in the country also touted the Trump Organization's plans to develop a $1.5 billion luxury resort complex, a project that will feature five-star hotels, golf courses and residential estates spanning more than 990 hectares.
