From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Trump says Israel ‘agreed to necessary conditions to finalize’ 60-day Gaza ceasefire
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
US President Donald Trump announces that “Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize” a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza.
During that two-month truce, “We will work with all parties to end the war,” Trump says in a Truth Social post, summarizing the development that came out of meetings top US officials held today in Washington with visiting Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.
Trump says Qatar and Egypt will deliver the final proposal to Hamas.
“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,” Trump writes.
Trump appears to be referring to a proposal for a temporary ceasefire that has been discussed the past several months. Those talks have been at an impasse, largely over the terms for what happens at the end of that truce, with Israel demanding that it maintain the ability to resume fighting, while Hamas seeks for the temporary truce to become permanent.
In declaring that he will “work to end the war,” Trump appears to be trying to appease both sides, mentioning an end to the war without speaking definitively.
Arab mediators have been seeking to reconvene Israeli and Hamas negotiators for proximity talks in Cairo in order to close remaining gaps.
The Times of Israel Community.