Trump says Hamas response to ceasefire proposal, expected in next 24 hours

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that it would probably be known in 24 hours how Hamas would respond to a proposal for a ceasefire with Israel in Gaza. Sources close to Hamas said the terror group was seeking guarantees that a new U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal would lead to the war's end.

In a statement early on Friday, Hamas said it was discussing the ceasefire proposal with other Palestinian factions and would submit its response to mediators once those talks conclude.

The UK-based Saudi-owned Asharq Al-Awsat reported on Friday that Hamas was more accepting of the terms of the latest proposal because they set a clear mechanism for IDF troop withdrawal from Gaza and for the distribution of aid.

According to the report, there was an understanding in Hamas that they would have to consider Israel's demands, including that Hamas would not continue to rule the Strip, it would have to disarm and that those responsible for the Oct. 7 massacre would be deported.

Officials told the publication that Hamas appeared willing to agree to a symbolic and temporary removal of some of its senior members from Gaza.

Earlier, sources close to the terrorist organization said that it would give a "positive response" to the proposal, which initially includes a 60-day ceasefire with the release of 10 live hostages and 18 dead. It is important to note that, so far, there are no details about what Hamas' response included, and what the conditions were, and an official statement has not yet been published.

In Israel, it was estimated that the terrorist organization would create difficulties, since "like everything, Hamas will fight over the names of the terrorists or the keys because that is the way of the world with them."

Trump reportedly hopes to announce a finalized deal during his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on Monday.

Earlier Thursday, senior cabinet officials who spoke with Netanyahu said that he "very much wants and is determined to reach a deal at almost any cost," and that he believes that the political window of opportunity in which Israel now finds itself "happens once in a generation." In closed talks, they say, the prime minister says that "we have rare, unimaginable political opportunities before us." As they understand it, Netanyahu is now striving for an agreement that will see Israel not return to fighting in the Gaza Strip – with the release of all the hostages on the agenda, alongside completing the amorphous goal of "defeating Hamas," and agreements with Saudi Arabia, Syria and possibly other countries.

In the background, the person who is pressuring Israel and Hamas time and again to reach agreements regarding a ceasefire is Trump, who has made a series of statements on the subject in recent days – and is also putting pressure on Qatar. According to senior Israeli officials, the U.S. president is even aiming to announce that the agreement has been concluded during his meeting with Netanyahu in Washington on Monday.

Israel is preparing for the possibility of “proximity talks” with Hamas—indirect negotiations facilitated by mediators. They believe that under intense pressure from Trump on Qatar, and from Qatar onto Hamas, such talks could yield results, even if not immediately.

The letter, published by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum following Netanyahu’s first visit to Kibbutz Nir Oz since the October 7 Hamas massacre, was also sent to Minister Ron Dermer, head of Israel’s negotiating team, ahead of the prime minister’s trip to Washington.

At the same time, six coalition Knesset members, including some from Netanyahu's Likud party, sent their letter to Netanyahu and cabinet ministers demanding the complete defeat of Hamas and full Israeli control over Gaza. They warned that any other outcome would pose an “existential threat to the State of Israel” and insisted they would not support any path that falls short of total victory. “This is our red line,” they wrote. They added that they "expect support from the United States."

Against this backdrop, Israel is at a significant crossroads. The military presented the cabinet with three options for moving forward in Gaza: a hostage deal; a full occupation of the Strip, risking their lives and the lives of soldiers; and a siege until surrender and opening additional distribution points for humanitarian aid – something that has very large budgetary costs and requires months of preparation.

Netanyahu said in the debate that a deal must be reached by force. The ministers are under the impression that this time he is also free from political pressure, given that he is planning for upcoming elections, which he wants to reach after completing an unprecedented diplomatic move, one that will also qualify for the Abraham Accords.

Behind the scenes, it seems that the political threats are less frightening to Netanyahu. The coalition understands that Ben-Gvir – who has already opposed hostage deals twice – will oppose this time as well. Smotrich was convinced to vote in favor the first time, and opposed the last time – but even without him, the deal has a majority in the cabinet and the government. Most Likud ministers, if not all, will vote in favor, and it is not impossible that Benny Gantz will re-enter the government and even receive an important portfolio within the "safety net." And even if the government falls apart, Israel is soon entering an election year anyway.

Along with these reasons, the change in Netanyahu's position is rooted in other factors, including the latest achievements in the war and the push by the Trump administration. He is conveying to his interlocutors that he will not miss an opportunity for peace with Sunni countries, primarily Saudi Arabia. The Shiite axis has broken, Syria sees Iran as a threatening factor, and even Lebanon is slowly trying to disavow the Islamic Republic.

But it is clear to everyone that in order to move forward, the incident in Gaza must be closed – and Israel must do this while returning all the hostages. As part of the agreement, Israel would also like to ensure that Hamas will not be the sovereign in the Strip.