Trump's deal: Israel-Hamas on path to ceasefire; Hamas accepts deal with conditions, Netanyahu-Trump talks crucial

TEL AVIV: Despite ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza, there are signs of progress toward a ceasefire deal proposed by former U.S. President Donald Trump. Hamas has conveyed to mediators Qatar and Egypt that it is open to negotiations and supports the framework of the agreement, though it has requested changes to certain conditions. The U.S. has not yet publicly disclosed the specific terms.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump in Washington tomorrow, raising expectations that Trump himself may officially announce the ceasefire once both parties reach a consensus.

On Saturday, over 60 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, bringing the total death toll to more than 57,330.

Key demands from Hamas:
1. Currently, a U.S.- and Israel-backed organisation manages aid distribution in Gaza. Hamas demands that the responsibility be handed over to the United Nations and its partners.
2. The U.S. must guarantee that the 60-day ceasefire will eventually lead to a permanent end to the war.

Challenges ahead:
1. Israel maintains that a ceasefire cannot be the final withdrawal, insisting the war will not end until Hamas’ military and governance structures are dismantled.
2. Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners oppose the deal and demand Israeli control over Gaza.

October 7, 2023: War began
November 2023: First ceasefire
January–March 2025: Second ceasefire

"A ceasefire-prisoner exchange agreement could materialise in the coming days."
— Donald Trump, U.S. President

"The deal is close. Some of Hamas’s conditions still need a final decision."
— Egyptian authorities

If the deal is implemented:

• Permanent ceasefire discussions to be held within the 60-day window.
• Hamas will release 10 living Israeli hostages and return the remains of 18 others. Of about 50 hostages, roughly 20 are still alive.
• Hundreds of Palestinian detainees will be freed from Israeli prisons.
• Israeli forces will gradually withdraw from parts of Gaza. Aid, including food and medical supplies, will be sent via the UN and Red Cross.

Hamas leadership change:
Israel claims that Izz al-Din al-Haddad is now the head of Hamas’s Gaza wing, following the death of former leader Mohammed Sinwar in May. Al-Haddad also leads Hamas’s military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades.