Donald Trump said Tuesday that Israel has agreed to the terms of a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza while urging Hamas to accept the deal because “IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE” if they don’t.
The president announced the development on Truth Social ahead of a scheduled White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.
“My Representatives had a long and productive meeting with the Israelis today on Gaza,” Trump wrote. “Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60 Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the War.”
“The Qataris and Egyptians, who have worked very hard to help bring Peace, will deliver this final proposal,” he continued. “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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Qatari officials had earlier delivered a Trump-backed proposal for a 60-day ceasefire to both Israel and Hamas, CNN reported.
The deal would include the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a source told the network.
Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff met for several hours earlier on Tuesday with Ron Dermer, Israel’s Minister for Strategic Affairs and a top Netanyahu advisor, to discuss the ceasefire and hostage release proposal put forward by Qatar, according to Axios.
Dermer accepted the proposal and said Israel is prepared to begin indirect talks with Hamas to finalize it, a senior Israeli official told Axios.
Hamas has expressed willingness to release all hostages in exchange for a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. However, Israel insists that the conflict can only end if Hamas surrenders and is dismantled—conditions that Hamas rejects. Around 20 hostages are believed to remain alive in Gaza.
The development follows Israel’s military campaign against Iran last month, which struck numerous military and nuclear targets and ultimately drew in the U.S., which carried out bombings on several Iranian nuclear facilities. Trump lauded Netanyahu in the wake of the strikes, calling him a “WARRIOR” and calling for his counterpart’s corruption trial to be cancelled.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. More than 56,000 people have been killed in the war, with women and children making up more than half that figure, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Israel’s offensive has triggered a hunger crisis, forced millions of Gaza’s residents from their homes and led to international legal scrutiny, including allegations of genocide and war crimes which Israel denies.
The conflict erupted in October 2023 when Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
