Trump Says He Expects Hamas Decision in 24 Hours on Cease-Fire Proposal

U.S. President Donald Trump said it will likely be clear within 24 hours whether terrorist group Hamas will accept his final proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza.

Trump was asked Friday if Hamas had agreed to the latest cease-fire framework and said, “We’ll see what happens. We are going to know over the next 24 hours.”

Trump announced on July 1 that Israel had agreed to the conditions of what would be a 60-day cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

“My Representatives had a long and productive meeting with the Israelis today on Gaza. Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalize the 60 Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the War,” he stated in a social media post.

“The Qataris and Egyptians, who have worked very hard to help bring Peace, will deliver this final proposal. 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.”

Hamas says it is studying the cease-fire proposal.

The BBC reported on Friday that Hamas had issued a statement saying it was discussing the cease-fire proposal it received from Qatar and Egypt with leaders of other Palestinian factions.

Hamas said it would deliver a final decision to the mediators once the consultations had ended and then announce it officially.

The Epoch Times was not able to independently verify the statement.

On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for the elimination of Hamas.

“I’m telling you, there will be no Hamas, no Hamastan,” Netanyahu said. “We’re not going back to that. That thing is over. We will free all our hostages, and we will strike Hamas. We will eliminate them completely.”

Trump is scheduled to host Netanyahu at the White House on July 7.

Trump recently called on Israeli prosecutors to drop their corruption trial against Netanyahu, which he labeled a “political witch hunt.”

“Let BIBI go, he’s got a big job to do!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Saturday, referring to the prime minister by his nickname.

“We are not going to stand for this,” Trump said of his prosecution, stressing that the United States spends billions of dollars a year to protect and support Israel.

The president stated on June 28 that Netanyahu was “in the process of negotiating a deal with Hamas.” Conditions would include ensuring the release of the remaining hostages still held by the terrorist group.

“Make the deal in Gaza. Get the hostages back!!!” Trump wrote on June 29 in all-caps on his Truth Social platform.

On Tuesday, the Israeli Defence Forces wrote on the social media platform X that it “will continue to operate in Gaza in order to protect Israeli civilians.”

The IDF said that “3km of underground tunnel routes used for terror activity” have been dismantled.

“IDF soldiers have also eliminated dozens of terrorists and dismantled hundreds of terrorist infrastructure sites, including operational centers, tunnel shafts, and equipped hideouts,” it added.

The Associated Press reported that Israeli airstrikes and shootings killed 94 Palestinians in Gaza late Wednesday and Thursday, including 45 who were attempting to get humanitarian aid, according to hospitals and Gaza’s Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas.

The conflict in Gaza began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led terrorists crossed the border into Israel, killing roughly 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages into the strip of territory they controlled.

50 hostages are still being held in captivity in Gaza, according to the Israeli government. “Of these, 49 were abducted on October 7 and one hostage (Hadar Goldin) has been held in Gaza since 2014,” Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a June 22 statement.

Gaza’s Ministry of Health said that the death toll of Palestinians is over 56,000. The numbers do not distinguish between combatants and civilians, and cannot be independently verified.

T.J. Muscaro and Guy Birchall contributed to this report.