US President Donald Trump is accelerating efforts to finalise a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, following what he described as a “partial acceptance” of his 20-point proposal by the militant group. Trump has made clear he wants the deal to take effect immediately, pending full confirmation from Hamas. If agreed, the ceasefire would begin at once, with a prisoner and hostage exchange starting straight away.
The US administration is exerting intense pressure on Hamas to move quickly, with Trump warning that “all bets will be off” if they delay. He said he “will not tolerate delay” and has urged both sides to act fast to prevent further escalation. Trump insists the plan is aimed at ensuring Gaza no longer poses a threat, calling it a “historic opportunity” to bring the conflict to a close. He has expressed confidence that the sides are close to an agreement and described the positive responses so far as “unprecedented”.
To give peace efforts a push, Trump publicly demanded on Saturday that Israel stop bombing Gaza immediately, stating that continued airstrikes could jeopardise the ceasefire. He later praised Israel for what he claimed was a pause in its bombing campaign, saying this gave the proposed deal a genuine chance of success. Trump also confirmed that Israel has accepted the initial withdrawal line outlined in his proposal, which has already been shared with Hamas.
To push the process forward, Trump has dispatched his special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner to Egypt for further talks. Trump has also made efforts to reassure Israel of continued American support, promising to help repair its international standing once the conflict ends. According to Trump, he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “Bibi, this is your chance for victory,” adding that the Israeli leader “has no choice” but to support the deal given the circumstances.
In Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu is navigating a delicate balance between military restraint, diplomatic engagement, and political survival. The Israel Defence Forces has been ordered by the political leadership to scale down its operations in Gaza to a minimum. The IDF confirmed it had been asked to prepare for the implementation of the first phase of the US plan, focused on the release of hostages.
Despite these instructions, Israeli forces continued to carry out strikes across the Gaza Strip on Saturday and maintained a siege on Gaza City, raising questions about the coherence of the military orders and the government’s commitment to de-escalation. Netanyahu has publicly backed the US proposal and acknowledged that Israel has accepted the initial withdrawal line, but stressed that the army would retain control over key strategic areas inside the Strip.
The proposed ceasefire consists of two main phases. In the first, Hamas is expected to release all hostages while Israel redeploys forces but maintains a military presence in dominant areas within Gaza. In the second phase, Hamas is to be fully disarmed and Gaza demilitarised. Netanyahu said this outcome would be achieved either through diplomacy under the Trump plan or, if necessary, through continued military pressure.
Diplomatically, Netanyahu has expressed optimism, stating he is hopeful the hostages will be freed within days, potentially before the Sukkot holiday. He has instructed his negotiating team, led by close adviser Ron Dermer, to prepare for renewed indirect talks, with discussions expected to take place in Egypt. The Israeli delegation aims to finalise the technical aspects of the exchange, with Netanyahu pushing to keep negotiations limited to just a few days.
While Netanyahu has praised his coordination with Trump and claimed the joint effort has shifted the diplomatic balance, he faces significant internal resistance. Far-right coalition partners Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have threatened to bring down the government if the war ends before Hamas is defeated or if talks take place while the group remains armed. Both ministers have strongly criticised the ceasefire proposal. Netanyahu has summoned them for urgent discussions to try to prevent a coalition collapse.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has expressed full support for Netanyahu’s ceasefire efforts, calling for unity at a critical moment. However, with both military activity continuing on the ground and political instability looming at home, the Prime Minister’s room to manoeuvre remains limited as the Trump-led initiative enters a decisive phase.
