Former President Donald Trump said Thursday that a decision from Hamas on a proposed 60-day ceasefire in Gaza could come within the next 24 hours, raising hopes for a temporary pause in the months-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group. Speaking to reporters, Trump confirmed that Israel had already accepted the latest ceasefire plan put forward by Qatar earlier this week and stated, “We’ll see what happens, we’re going to know over the next 24 hours,” when asked if Hamas had agreed.
According to the Qatari-mediated proposal, the framework maintains the same length and general structure of prior deals, but now includes two significant concessions to Hamas: a staggered release of hostages over the full 60 days and stronger guarantees, this time coming directly from Trump, that the ceasefire will continue even if a broader peace deal isn't finalized in that time.
In a statement posted Tuesday on Truth Social, Trump warned Hamas to accept the terms:
“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,”
while also thanking Qatar and Egypt for their mediation efforts.
Key Points of the Proposal:
- 60-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of hostages.
- 10 living Israeli hostages and 18 deceased hostages would be released in stages.
- On Day 1, Hamas would release eight living hostages in exchange for an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners and partial Israeli military withdrawals in northern Gaza.
- On Day 7, after the release of some deceased hostages, Israel would also withdraw from parts of southern Gaza.
- Hostage handovers would be private and without ceremony, as requested by Israel, avoiding scenes like those in previous ceasefire deals that were viewed as Hamas propaganda events.
- Negotiations for a permanent ceasefire would begin immediately once the truce begins.
- Humanitarian aid would begin to enter Gaza immediately from the UN and other aid organizations.
The proposal outlines the final release of living hostages on Day 50, with deceased hostages returned on Days 7, 30, and 60.
As of now, about 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with at least 20 believed to be alive.