In a dramatic turn for the protracted Gaza conflict, Hamas announced on August 18, 2025, that it had accepted a ceasefire proposal crafted by Arab mediators, signaling the most significant progress in nearly two years of war. Yet, Israel’s response remains guarded, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintaining that the campaign to defeat Hamas will continue until all hostages are returned and the militant group is completely disarmed.
According to Reuters, a Qatari official disclosed that the latest Hamas-approved proposal is "almost identical" to an earlier plan put forward by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. This confirmation, echoed by Egyptian and Hamas officials speaking to the Associated Press, underscores the close alignment between the current mediation efforts and previous American diplomatic initiatives. The ceasefire plan, hammered out by Egypt and Qatar, introduces only slight modifications to the U.S. blueprint previously accepted by Israel.
The broad contours of the deal, as described to the Associated Press by Egyptian and Hamas sources, include a 60-day truce during which Israeli forces would pull back to a buffer zone within Gaza. In exchange, Hamas would release 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 others in phases, while Israel would free approximately 1,700 Palestinian prisoners, including 200 convicted of deadly attacks. The plan also calls for a dramatic increase in humanitarian aid, with 600 trucks allowed into Gaza daily—a move that could help stem what aid organizations have described as a looming famine.
Despite these developments, Israel has yet to formally respond. Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to pursue the war until Hamas is defeated and all hostages are returned. In a recent Hebrew-language video statement translated by Fox News, Netanyahu asserted, "I hear the media reports – and from them, you can draw one conclusion: Hamas is under enormous pressure." He added that he had visited the Gaza Division and met with senior Israel Defense Forces command staff, expressing "tremendous appreciation for the great achievements of the IDF in the War of Rebirth – the war on seven fronts." Netanyahu also emphasized his determination to "complete the defeat of Hamas and to bring about the release of all our hostages."
The situation remains volatile. While international mediators, including Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, have been working intensively to revive the U.S.-backed proposal, the Israeli government has announced plans to reoccupy Gaza City and other heavily populated areas—a move seen as a pressure tactic against Hamas. According to a diplomat briefed on the negotiations, Qatari and Egyptian mediators secured a breakthrough that preserves "98% of the Witkoff proposal, which the Israeli side had previously agreed to." The diplomat told Fox News, "This step marks the beginning of the road to a comprehensive solution."
Yet, President Donald Trump, who has positioned himself as a key figure in previous hostage negotiations, has taken a hard line. On August 18, Trump posted on Truth Social, "We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!! The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be." Trump further claimed, "Remember, I was the one who negotiated and got hundreds of hostages freed and released into Israel (and America!). I was the one who ended 6 wars, in just 6 months. I was the one who OBLITERATED Iran’s Nuclear facilities. Play to WIN, or don’t play at all!" (Fox News)
This uncompromising rhetoric reflects the broader Israeli position. Netanyahu has insisted that, even if fighting pauses for a hostage release, Israel will maintain security control over Gaza and facilitate the relocation of much of its population—a policy Palestinians and much of the international community view as forcible expulsion. Netanyahu’s recent announcement to occupy Gaza City and other urban centers has been interpreted as both a military maneuver and a bargaining chip in negotiations.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza grows ever more dire. International aid organizations report that mass hunger has arrived among the enclave’s 2.2 million people, with stocks running out after Israel imposed severe restrictions on supplies earlier this year. The Israeli military agreed on August 15 to allow countries to airdrop aid into Gaza, but Hamas dismissed this as a stunt, insisting that "the Gaza Strip does not need flying aerobatics, it needs an open humanitarian corridor and a steady daily flow of aid trucks to save what remains of the lives of besieged, starving civilians," according to a statement given to Reuters.
Palestinian health officials reported that nine more people died from malnutrition or starvation within a single 24-hour period before August 15, and Israeli airstrikes killed at least 21 people on the same day, including five at a school sheltering displaced families. The death toll since the conflict’s onset is staggering: Gaza’s Health Ministry, run by medical professionals under the Hamas government, estimates more than 62,000 Palestinians have been killed, with women and children comprising about half of the casualties. Israel disputes these numbers but has not provided its own estimates.
The origins of the current war trace back to October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed Israeli towns, killing around 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and capturing 251 hostages. Since then, most hostages have been released through previous ceasefires or separate deals, but about 50 remain in Gaza, with only 20 believed by Israel to be alive.
The ceasefire proposal’s fate now hinges on Israel’s response, which is expected to be deliberated by the Security Cabinet. The proposal’s success could bring much-needed relief to Gaza’s battered population and set the stage for broader negotiations on a lasting truce and the release of remaining hostages. However, the fundamental disagreement persists: Hamas insists on a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal in exchange for the hostages, while Israel demands Hamas’s total disarmament and defeat.
International reactions have been mixed. French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would recognize an independent Palestinian state, a move criticized by both the U.S. and Israel as a "reward for terrorism." Britain and Germany, however, refrained from following suit, with Germany emphasizing that "Israel's security is of paramount importance."
As the world watches, the stakes could hardly be higher. The coming days will reveal whether this latest diplomatic breakthrough can halt the cycle of violence, or whether entrenched positions and mutual distrust will once again dash hopes for peace in Gaza.
