Mediators push Israeli response to Gaza ceasefire proposal

Mediators push Israel and Hamas toward a 60-day truce with hostage releases as public pressure grows and the humanitarian situation deteriorates.

Mediators press for Israeli reply to Gaza ceasefire plan

Mediators in Doha and other capitals are pushing for a 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, with about half of the 50 hostages set to be released during the pause. Qatar says the latest proposal is almost identical to a US plan, and Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that Netanyahu’s government is studying the idea while awaiting Hamas’s reply. Netanyahu has not ruled out a partial deal but has insisted any agreement must include all hostages released in one go and a broad set of conditions such as Hamas disarmament and Gaza demilitarisation, plus Israeli control of the Gaza perimeter. He also signalled continued planning for operations in Gaza City.

Trump took to social media to call for a decisive confrontation with Hamas, while families of hostages warned that a renewed offensive could endanger those still held. The war has already killed more than 62,000 people in Gaza, displaced millions, and left much of the health system and essential services in collapse. In Tel Aviv, hundreds of thousands joined protests urging a deal to end the war and bring hostages home, even as Netanyahu warned that public pressure could harden Hamas’s position.

The proposal shows how regional powers are trying to pressure a fragile pause in a war that has stretched for years. If Hamas rejects the terms, the deal may collapse, and the cycle of fighting could resume with renewed intensity. If Israel insists on a single, full release of hostages and strict governance changes, negotiations may stall or shift toward a longer, riskier battle on the ground. Mediation must balance urgency with realism, and guard against hostage diplomacy becoming a political weapon.

Beyond the optics, the plan tests the region’s appetite for minimal pauses versus lasting solutions. Without credible verification and humanitarian safeguards, even a short truce risks becoming merely a pause before the next round. The real test is whether aid can reach Gaza’s people and whether the two sides can prevent a deeper humanitarian catastrophe while talks continue.

Highlights

The outcome will shape not just the fate of hostages but the region’s fragile balance between diplomacy and force.