US President Donald Trump, after addressing a rally in Iowa on Wednesday, told reporters at an airbase that “we are going to know over the next 24 hours” whether Hamas will agree to the latest US-backed ceasefire proposal in Gaza. The comment has intensified speculation that a temporary halt to the nearly 21-month-long Israel-Hamas war may finally be in sight.
Trump said Israel had accepted the terms for a 60-day ceasefire deal, which includes provisions to work toward a permanent end to the conflict. “We’re doing everything to push this forward,” Trump added. The United States, acting as a key mediator in the process, has been actively pressuring both sides to halt hostilities amid growing international outrage over the rising civilian death toll.
On the other side, Hamas is still holding consultations with other Palestinian factions. A source close to the group told Al Jazeera that Hamas is demanding strong guarantees that the ceasefire will eventually lead to a complete end to the war—not just another temporary pause.
Hamas Wants Written Guarantees, Final Call Awaited
Despite positive signals from Washington and Tel Aviv, Hamas has not yet confirmed its acceptance of the proposal. The group appears deeply cautious, reportedly seeking binding commitments that the ceasefire will not simply be a “pause before another storm.”
Two Israeli officials, speaking anonymously, confirmed that some final terms and mechanisms were still being negotiated. According to them, the broad contours are in place, but the implementation timeline and dispute resolution processes remain under discussion.
In a statement early Friday, Hamas said it had received the latest proposal and was reviewing it with various Palestinian factions. “Once internal consultations conclude, we will submit our unified response to the mediators,” the group stated.
Meanwhile, Israeli air raids have continued across Gaza, with medical sources saying dozens more Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours. The violence underscores the urgency for a truce as humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate rapidly.
UNRWA Warns of Humanitarian Collapse, Urges Ceasefire
In #Gaza people are struggling to survive:
➡ bombardment
➡ hunger
➡ disease“Civilians are killed everyday” our UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini @UNLazzarini tells @BeckyCNN, adding that Israeli Forces’ forced evacuation orders are unabated.
The war must end.… pic.twitter.com/SWY8JIFajW
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) July 3, 2025
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has also ramped up pressure, saying a ceasefire is not just needed—it’s desperately needed. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told CNN that “people’s lives and dignity are under attack every day” in Gaza.
Lazzarini stressed that UNRWA is prepared to scale up operations as soon as a truce is in place. “We have the systems, the expertise, and the will,” he added, while warning that time is running out for Gaza’s civilian population.
So far, the Biden administration—along with regional partners Egypt and Qatar—has been pushing behind the scenes to make the ceasefire a reality.
The next 24 hours are crucial. If Hamas agrees and all sides follow through, the region could finally see its first extended period of calm in nearly two years. But if the deal collapses, the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza will only deepen.
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