Deal for ceasefire in Gaza is closer, says US President Trump

STC NEWS MONITORING DESK
JULY 03 (STC): Israel has agreed on terms for a new 60-day ceasefire with Hamas and that Washington would work with both sides during that time to try to end more than 20 months of war in Gaza, reveals a report quoting U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to the reports, the efforts to reach a truce are unfolding in the wake of powerful Israeli and American strikes on nuclear sites in Iran, which has long supported Hamas, and just days before Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington.
Reports reveal that the potential deal seems to be a somewhat modified version of a framework proposed earlier this year by Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.

Notably, the U. S. President said on Tuesday in a social media post that Qatar and Egypt have been working on the details and would deliver a final proposal to Hamas.
The Associated Press (AP) report quoting an Egyptian official involved in the ceasefire talks has told that the proposal calls for Hamas to release 10 more hostages during the two-month period — eight on the first day and two on the final day. During that period, Israel would withdraw troops from some parts of Gaza and allow badly needed aid into the territory.
The report further states that both sides have agreed that the United Nations and the Palestinian Red Crescent would lead aid operations and that the Israeli- and U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund would also continue to operate.
Remarkably, Trump has made it clear to Israel that he wants to see the Israel-Hamas war end soon. He had tough words for Israel in the opening hours of last week’s ceasefire with Iran, when he pressured Israel to scale back its response to an Iranian missile attack. That could help persuade Hamas to embrace a deal.
Meanwhile, reports quoting the Egyptian official said Israel has not yet agreed to a proposal to withdraw its forces to positions held in early March after a previous ceasefire officially expired. Since then, the Israeli Army has seized large swaths of Gaza to put pressure on Hamas, and it’s not clear whether Israel is ready to return to those same positions.
(Inputs from Agencies)