Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel is working on a new ceasefire plan in collaboration with the White House, although the details are still being finalized. Speaking on the eve of his meeting with US President Donald Trump, Netanyahu acknowledged the ongoing pressure to end the conflict, especially amid the offensive in Gaza City.
The death toll in the Israel-Hamas war has surpassed 66,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry as of Sunday. In Monday’s White House meeting, President Trump is expected to present a new proposal aimed at ending the conflict.
“We’re working on it,” Netanyahu told Fox News Sunday’s *The Sunday Briefing*. “It’s not been finalized yet, but we’re working with President Trump’s team, actually as we speak, and I hope we can make it a go.”
### Details of the Ceasefire Proposal
Arab officials briefed on the plan say the 21-point proposal calls for:
– An immediate ceasefire
– The release of all hostages held by Hamas within 48 hours
– A gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza
Netanyahu has vowed to continue fighting until Hamas, whose attack on October 7, 2023, triggered the war, is destroyed. However, he reiterated an offer to allow Hamas operatives to leave Gaza as part of a deal to end the conflict. “If they finish the war, release all the hostages, we let them out,” he said.
### US Position and International Response
President Trump has largely stood behind Israel but has shown signs of impatience, especially after Israel struck Hamas’s political leadership headquarters in Doha, Qatar, earlier this month. Since then, ceasefire talks have stalled amid growing international and domestic protests.
Key Western allies have joined a list of countries recognizing a Palestinian state despite Israeli objections. The European Union is considering sanctions, and there are mounting calls for a sports and cultural boycott of Israel.
At the UN General Assembly on Friday, a defiant Netanyahu told world leaders that Israel must “finish the job” against Hamas in Gaza, where 48 hostages are still held captive—around 20 of whom Israel believes are alive.
### Additional Insights on the Proposal
According to three Arab officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, the ceasefire proposal includes the release of all hostages within 48 hours and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The officials indicated that the proposal is still subject to change.
President Trump discussed the plan with Arab leaders on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Meanwhile, a Hamas official said that while the group had been briefed on the plan, it had yet to receive an official offer from Egyptian and Qatari mediators.
Hamas has expressed willingness to study any proposals “positively and responsibly.” Previously, the group indicated it would release all hostages in exchange for an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
### Recent Developments on the Ground
Local hospitals in central Gaza reported at least 10 deaths after strikes hit homes in the Nuseirat refugee camp. Gaza’s health ministry reported the death toll has reached 66,005, with 168,162 wounded since the conflict began.
The ministry, part of the Hamas-run administration, does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its casualty figures but has said that women and children make up approximately half of the dead. Its data is considered a reliable estimate by the UN and many independent experts.
Residents reported hearing explosions overnight across Gaza City, likely from the demolition of buildings via explosive-laden vehicles and robots. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the strikes but confirmed it had targeted 140 Hamas military sites in the past 24 hours, including militants, observation equipment,
https://www.breakingnews.ie/world/netanyahu-says-israel-working-on-ceasefire-plan-on-eve-of-trump-meeting-1812363.html
