Trump Awaits Hamas Response on “Final” Gaza Ceasefire Proposal, Eyes Expanded Abraham Accords

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that the world could know within 24 hours whether Hamas will agree to what he called a “final proposal” for a ceasefire with Israel in Gaza. The statement comes as the region reels from months of devastating conflict and humanitarian crisis.

Speaking to reporters, Trump explained that Israel has already accepted the terms needed to start a 60-day truce, giving both sides time to negotiate an end to the war. “We’ll see what happens,” he said. “We are going to know over the next 24 hours.”

The stakes could hardly be higher. The conflict flared last October when Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages. Israel’s military response has since killed more than 56,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, and displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza. Many are facing severe hunger, while hospitals and shelters have been reduced to rubble. Israel denies allegations of genocide and war crimes, but the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court are examining the conduct of both sides.

A source close to Hamas said the group wants clear guarantees that any ceasefire will ultimately end Israel’s military operations. Meanwhile, Israeli officials confirmed that critical details are still being finalized. Earlier attempts to pause the fighting have proven fragile. A two-month ceasefire collapsed in March when Israeli airstrikes killed more than 400 Palestinians in a single day.

In addition to the ceasefire talks, Trump also highlighted his efforts to expand the Abraham Accords, the diplomatic agreements forged during his first term that normalized ties between Israel and several Gulf nations. When asked about recent reports that he had met Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Trump confirmed the meeting and said they had discussed the possibility of more countries joining the accords.

“I think a lot of people are going to be joining the Abraham Accords,” Trump said, suggesting that regional pressure on Iran could encourage further diplomatic breakthroughs. After the meeting with Trump, the Saudi official reportedly spoke by phone with Iran’s top military leader, underscoring how interconnected the region’s rivalries have become.

The timing is also notable: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to visit Washington next week, a trip likely to shape the next steps in ceasefire negotiations and the broader diplomatic landscape.

While Trump’s earlier proposal for a U.S. takeover of Gaza drew widespread criticism as an act of “ethnic cleansing,” the current ceasefire push has so far been received more cautiously, with all sides recognizing the desperate need to stop the bloodshed.

For now, the world watches and waits to see if Hamas will accept the deal and whether a fragile peace can finally take hold.