Israel has expressed support for the ceasefire proposal for the Gaza Strip introduced by President Trump and his special envoy Steve Whitcoff, the White House announced on Thursday, corroborating reports from Israeli media.
U.S. presidential spokesperson Caroline Levitt stated that the proposal has been forwarded to Hamas, which, to the best of the U.S. knowledge, has yet to accept it.
“I can confirm that discussions are ongoing and we are hopeful for a ceasefire in Gaza to facilitate the return of all hostages,” she told reporters.
Earlier on Thursday, Hamas indicated that it was reviewing the U.S. proposal.
The spokesperson refrained from confirming reports from Saudi and Israeli media suggesting that a 60-day ceasefire agreement has been reached and that Trump is set to make an announcement. “Any announcements will be made by the White House—either by the president, myself, or special envoy Whitcoff,” she stated.
Despite mentioning it was considering the U.S. proposal, there remains confusion regarding Hamas’s stance on its acceptance.
The Jerusalem Post reports that Hamas does not fully accept the framework proposed by Whitcoff and is seeking alterations on specific points.
While Hamas has not outright rejected the proposal, there are some reservations. A source informed the Israeli newspaper that the proposal is perceived as “pro-Israeli” and does not ensure an end to the conflict.
The proposal calls for all hostages and remains to be returned to Israel within a week, leaving Hamas without leverage, according to the source. It also outlines that both parties will negotiate the terms of a permanent ceasefire during the 60-day temporary truce, but does not specify that the truce will be extended if negotiations surpass 60 days.
The Israeli prime minister has informed the families of hostages still held in Gaza about his acceptance of the proposal, as reported by Reuters.
Prior to this, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid urged the prime minister to swiftly embrace the new U.S. proposal. “Israel must publicly and promptly accept the framework laid out this morning by the American mediator,” Lapid stated on the X platform.
He further reminded Netanyahu that he has the “full support” of the opposition for the approval of the plan, even in the event of pushback from ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
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