A source told Newsweek that US President Donald Trump has made significant efforts to persuade Israel to move toward a ceasefire in Gaza, now the conflict with Iran has ended.
ADVERTISEMENT
Eager to reinforce his image as a dealmaker, Trump believes the ceasefire between Tel Aviv and Tehran has opened the door to ending the war in Gaza, now approaching its second year.
Speaking during his visit to The Hague for the NATO summit, Trump said: "There is progress. I think the attack we launched on Iran is going to lead to very good news."
What are the terms of the new proposal?
The latest ceasefire proposal includes the release of 10 living Israeli hostages, along with the return of the bodies of 18 deceased hostages. These would be handed over in two instalments, between the first and seventh day of the agreement. In exchange, Israel would release 1,236 Palestinian prisoners and return 180 bodies currently in its custody. Both Israel and Hamas would also be required to provide updated information on the status of detainees by the tenth day.
Under the terms of the proposal, Israel would suspend its military operations and aerial surveillance over the Gaza Strip for 10 hours each day, extending to 12 hours during periods when hostages and prisoners are being exchanged.
Israeli forces would reposition themselves in the Netzarim corridor and northern Gaza. Humanitarian aid would resume through mutually agreed channels.
During the truce period, the two sides would continue negotiations to resolve outstanding issues, with the potential to extend the ceasefire for an additional 60 days.
While Israeli and US officials have accused Hamas of rejecting the proposal, the group insists it has accepted the deal but is seeking further guarantees to prevent Israel from resuming the war immediately after the truce expires.
Meanwhile, pressure is mounting inside Israel to reach a deal. Over the weekend, protests were held outside the homes of both the Israeli president and the education minister, calling for action on a hostage exchange.
According to Israel's Channel 12, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to push for a prisoner swap agreement during his upcoming visit to Washington, where he will also advance talks on normalising relations with Syria.