As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held conferences Monday with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Particular Envoy for the Center East Steve Witkoff after which President Donald Trump, right here is the newest on the place issues stand with ceasefire negotiations — and what’s on the Trump administration’s agenda in terms of charting a course for the way forward for Gaza.
What’s on the desk
The deal on the desk would see ten dwelling hostages — about half of the whole quantity of detainees believed to nonetheless be alive in Gaza — and the stays of 18 extra returned to Israel in 5 separate releases in change for a 60-day ceasefire, the discharge of some Palestinian prisoners, and a surge of humanitarian assist for Palestinians within the enclave. T
he particulars of how that assist could be equipped and distributed are nonetheless underneath negotiation, in line with an official conversant in the matter.
The expectation is that U.S.-backed talks to completely finish the battle would decide up throughout the truce, officers say.
President Donald Trump holds a bilateral dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in attendance, on the White Home, July 7, 2025.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
The place issues stand
Israel has signed off on the principle tenets of the proposal because it presently stands. Hamas has indicated it sees potential however nonetheless has some excellent points.
Officers conversant in the negotiations say that the most important sticking level is in step with failed talks prior to now: Hamas needs assurances {that a} ceasefire will result in a everlasting finish to battle. It needs assurances that talks throughout the ceasefire on a everlasting finish to the battle will proceed past the 60-day window if it’s a necessity.
Israel, in the meantime, is reluctant to signal on to any language that restricts army motion.
Israel can also be adamant that Hamas cannot be allowed to play any half in governing Gaza — a time period the Trump administration is aligned with. Each governments are cautious of permitting for a scenario just like what existed in Lebanon with Hezbollah, the place a civilian authorities is in place however the militant group holds vital management.
Hamas additionally needs to see the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Basis (GHF) finish operations and the U.N. plus different worldwide organizations allowed to totally resume distribution. U.S. officers say they imagine there’s some room for compromise on this level, however do not foresee the U.S.-backed GHF being totally pushed out.
Daniel Dannon, Israel’s ambassador to the U.N., instructed reporters final week he might foresee some “mixture” of GHF and the U.N. administering assist in a “day-after” state of affairs for Gaza.
Israeli and Hamas officers are holding oblique proximity talks in Doha to attempt to resolve a few of the variations, and the White Home mentioned earlier Monday that Witkoff would journey there this week.
Witkoff’s involvement is seen as a promising signal for the prospect of reaching an settlement, but in addition as a sign that it’ll take extra high-level engagement from the U.S. to get it over the end line.
The place issues go subsequent
Officers are very a lot President Trump and different key Cupboard member assembly with Netanyahu as working engagements, as a result of though Israel sees eye to eye with the united stateson the most important phrases of the ceasefire settlement, the administration is seeking to Netanyahu because it makes an attempt to work out an endgame and choose aims for the “day after” in Gaza.
Trump has largely centered on increasing the Abraham Accords, an settlement in his first time period that led to normalization of relations between Israel and a few Arab nations. He is additionally proposed a relocation plan for Gaza’s two million Palestinians, which Netanyahu endorsed on the time.
An enlargement of the Abraham Accords and a “day-after” proposal for Gaza are each seen as needing broader regional buy-in from influential Arab States, like Saudi Arabia.
A lot of them are insistent the PA ought to play a task in governing Gaza, which Israel has opposed. Working-level discussions on Gaza with these Center Jap governments are occurring on a steady foundation.
Trump is searching for a giant win in Gaza — and momentum on Iran
Trump is searching for a “victory with a capital “V” throughout Netanyahu’s go to, mentioned Dana Stroul, a former deputy assistant secretary of protection for the Center East from 2021 to 2023.
The president, who has mentioned he’ll measure the success of his presidency by the wars he is ended, will look to trip off of the ceasefire he brokered in Iran with a ceasefire in Gaza.
He “not solely has leverage, however has constructed up goodwill” with Netanyahu after the U.S. joined Israel’s battle in Iran, Stroul mentioned.
“President Trump has put assets within the sport, not simply phrases. And so he has leverage at this second in time to inform Netanyahu, it is time to wind down the wars in Gaza,” she mentioned.
Whereas it isn’t clear what diplomatic end result the U.S. is searching for in Iran after its strikes there, the president might attempt to deposit his goodwill and “clarify [to Netanyahu] how he needs to maneuver ahead on the Iran file.”
“It definitely has the makings of a grand cut price,” Stroul mentioned. However a ceasefire would solely quickly halt preventing earlier than a broad “day-after” settlement for Gaza — and the area — will be negotiated.
