Trump says ceasefire could begin next week as Israel signals readiness but Hamas remains hesitant

US President Donald Trump has claimed Israel has agreed to the “necessary conditions” for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, raising hopes of a breakthrough in the brutal conflict that has devastated the region for nearly two years.

Writing on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump announced that Qatar and Egypt would deliver a final proposal to Hamas, adding: “I hope… that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE.”

While the former ceasefire in January collapsed after one phase, Trump’s comments signal renewed American pressure to reach a lasting truce. He added that he would be “very firm” during an upcoming meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scheduled for next week. “He wants to [end the war]. I think we’ll have a deal next week,” Trump said.

Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon confirmed Israel was “absolutely” ready for a ceasefire. But questions remain over Hamas’s willingness to agree to the terms, which have not yet been made public.

Danon said Hamas was “playing hardball” and warned: “If they will not come to the table, the only option we will have to bring back the hostages is to apply more military pressure. The war will end when the hostages are back home.”

Israel says around 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with at least 20 believed to be alive. Their fate continues to loom large over negotiations.

Trump’s announcement coincides with high-level meetings in Washington, where Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer is set to meet US officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance. Talks are also expected with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.

Hamas has previously insisted on a permanent ceasefire and complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, while Israel maintains the conflict cannot end until Hamas is dismantled. These entrenched positions have derailed previous talks.

The humanitarian cost of the war continues to climb. On Monday, an Israeli airstrike on a seafront café in Gaza City reportedly killed at least 20 people. Eyewitnesses described scenes of horror among the rubble, as civilians sought brief respite before the next round of violence.

Since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that left 1,200 dead, Israel’s campaign has claimed over 56,000 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. International pressure has mounted for both sides to reach a lasting ceasefire and prioritise humanitarian aid.

Meanwhile, controversy surrounds the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a body set up to coordinate aid deliveries. More than 170 humanitarian organisations — including Oxfam and Save the Children — have called for it to be dismantled, accusing Israeli forces of firing on civilians approaching aid convoys.

Israel denies these claims and says the foundation is essential to preventing Hamas from hijacking aid.

Trump’s intervention marks a significant moment. If the deal is accepted, it could usher in the longest ceasefire since the war began — a 60-day halt to hostilities and a possible pathway to wider peace talks. But the risk of collapse remains high.

The January ceasefire, which proposed a phased withdrawal, hostage exchanges and eventual disarmament, faltered before its second stage. Whether this latest offer will survive the same fate now rests in Hamas’s hands.

For now, both sides remain under pressure — and the people of Gaza, still trapped beneath bombs and blockade, wait for peace that has long felt out of reach.