- Hamas has accepted a U.S.-backed 60-day cease-fire framework, marking a major step toward ending nearly two years of war in Gaza.
- Formal cease-fire announcement expected today, with Israel and Hamas agreeing to halt all hostilities immediately.
- Negotiations to follow in Cairo, with Egypt and Qatar as observers, aiming for a permanent resolution.
- Trump to announce the deal, positioning himself again as a key peacemaker in the Middle East.
Washington, D.C. — July 5, 2025
Hamas has agreed to a U.S.-backed proposal for a new cease-fire in Gaza, according to senior sources in Washington involved in the negotiations. A formal announcement is expected later today, marking a significant breakthrough in efforts to end nearly two years of continuous warfare between Israel and Hamas.
Under the terms of the deal, Israel and Hamas would immediately halt cross-border attacks and military operations. The agreement sets the stage for 60 days of U.S.-sponsored negotiations in Cairo, with Egypt and Qatar acting as official observers.
This would mark the first sustained truce between the two sides since October 2023, when Hamas’s attacks inside Israel ignited the latest war. If upheld, the cease-fire would bring an end to 23 months of devastating conflict in the region.
According to Arab officials involved in the talks, Hamas has accepted the framework of the U.S. proposal, which includes the release of 10 living Israeli hostages in exchange for a larger number of Palestinian prisoners. Eight hostages would be freed immediately, and two more on the 50th day of the truce.
READ MORE: Trump’s Gaza Peace Breakthrough: Hamas and Israel Edge Closer to Truce Under Trump’s Bold Plan
The cease-fire deal was crafted by U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, with direct mediation from Egypt and Qatar. It calls for Israeli forces to gradually withdraw from designated areas of Gaza during the cease-fire and opens the door to discussions on a permanent end to hostilities—something Hamas has long demanded and Israel has previously resisted.
“The mediators—the United States, Egypt, and Qatar—will guarantee the cease-fire and ensure that meaningful negotiations toward a permanent solution are held,” the proposal reads.
President Donald Trump, who has been pushing for a resolution in Gaza for weeks, is expected to officially announce the deal later today. If confirmed, this would be the third time in 2025 that Trump has positioned himself as a central figure in brokering Middle East peace—following U.S.-led cease-fires in Lebanon and Iran.
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“I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this deal because it will not get better—it will only get worse,” Trump warned earlier this week.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to travel to Washington for talks with Trump on Monday.
The breakthrough follows a significant shift in regional dynamics. Hamas, reeling from months of Israeli strikes and growing unrest among Gaza’s civilian population, is under increasing pressure. Most of its senior leadership has been killed, and the group is now led by its third commander since the war began.
Israel, meanwhile, is facing growing diplomatic pressure and rising domestic calls to bring home the remaining hostages. Yellow ribbons, symbolic of those kidnapped, have become common sights across Israeli cities.
The cease-fire deal also includes provisions for expanded humanitarian aid to Gaza, though details on its distribution remain unclear. On the 10th day of the truce, both sides are expected to exchange medical records and additional information related to prisoners and hostages.
If finalized, this agreement could mark the most significant diplomatic opening since the war erupted and offer a rare moment of hope for millions caught in the crossfire.
More details are expected to emerge during President Trump’s announcement later today.