This photo released by Israel Defense Forces on April 21, 2025 shows Israeli troops operating in the Gaza Strip. In Rafah's Shabura and Tel al-Sultan neighborhoods, Israeli troops dismantled terrorist infrastructure and uncovered a cache of grenades, ammunition and other military gear. Along the recently constructed Morag Corridor, which bisects Rafah from Khan Younis and the rest of Gaza, troops located weapons, destroyed Hamas infrastructure and killed several militants, the military said. (Photo: Xinhua)
US President Donald Trump has stepped up efforts to pressure the Israeli government and Hamas in recent days to negotiate a ceasefire and secure a hostage agreement, according to multiple media reports. However, a Chinese expert noted that whether a deal can be reached remains to be seen, given the US' partiality toward Israel.In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump wrote that Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60 Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the War. He also added that the Qataris and Egyptians, who have worked very hard to help bring Peace, will deliver this final proposal. And for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — it will only get worse.
The new proposal comes just days after Qatar helped broker a ceasefire between Iran and Israel after US and Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear program, and months after an initial Trump administration-backed ceasefire proposal for Gaza was rejected by Hamas, per CNN.
According to CNN, the new version attempted to take into account Hamas' concerns with the earlier proposal. During the ceasefire, Israeli hostages would be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Israel had previously insisted on the complete destruction of Hamas, while Hamas called for Israel's withdrawal. As a result, it remains unclear whether both sides have reached a ceasefire agreement, Sun Degang, director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
In November 2023, six weeks after the war began, Israel and Hamas began an initial four-day ceasefire. The truce collapsed a week later in December, after the exchange of 110 hostages and 240 Palestinians. Further talks to extend the ceasefire failed, as Israel rejected Hamas' demand for all of the roughly 10,000 Palestinian prisoners, according to Time Magazine.
Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on July 7. On Tuesday, an Israeli military official told CNN that while Israel has not fully achieved its war goals, Hamas' forces have shrunk and gone into hiding, it has become more difficult to effectively target what remains of the militant group.
Domestic and international pressure has mounted on the US, Israel and Hamas to bring the war in Gaza to an end as it drags into its 21st month, according to the Time. The report also noted that over the weekend, protesters in Israel called for a deal that would free the remaining hostages in Gaza.
Israel's war in Gaza has killed at least 56,647 people and wounded 134,105, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7 attacks, and more than 200 were taken captive, according to Al Jazeera on Wednesday.
Sun said despite US' willingness to broker peace, its ability to influence allies like Israel and groups like Hamas remains to be seen. He added that the US may still resort to harsh measures against Hamas, which could result in spillover effects.
