60-day Gaza truce hinges on Hamas disarmament, says Israeli official
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As indirect talks continue in Qatar, a senior Israeli official suggests a Gaza ceasefire could be reached within two weeks, keeping the option of military action open.
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An Israeli occupation forces tank manoeuvres in the Gaza Strip amid damaged residential buildings, May 19, 2025 (AP)
A senior Israeli official said Wednesday that a potential ceasefire and captive exchange between "Israel" and Hamas could be reached “within one or two weeks,” though not “in just a day,” amid ongoing talks and high-level meetings in Washington.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that if both parties accept a proposed 60-day truce, "Israel" would use that window to push for a permanent ceasefire, "conditioned on Hamas agreeing to disarm."
“If Hamas refuses, we’ll proceed” with military operations in Gaza, the official warned.
The comments coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, where he met with US President Donald Trump for the second time on Tuesday.
Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said that the sides are “moving closer” to a US-brokered agreement after more than 21 months of war. Trump initially predicted a breakthrough “this week" but revised his expectations Wednesday, saying a deal was “very close” and could happen “this week or even next, though not definitely.”
Indirect talks in Qatar between Hamas and "Israel" have now entered their fourth day, but key points of disagreement remain unresolved, according to sources familiar with Hamas’ negotiating position.
The proposed framework includes the release of 10 living captives held in Gaza, as well as the remains of nine others, the Israeli official confirmed, without offering further detail.
Netanyahu’s visit follows a dramatic escalation earlier this month, when President Trump ordered airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in support of "Israel" during the recent 12-day Israeli war on Iran. Trump later mediated a ceasefire between the two sides.
During his visit, Netanyahu publicly thanked Trump for “joining with Israel in striking Iran.”
Hamas seeks full Israeli withdrawal, aid in Gaza truce talks
In a related context, the Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas confirmed Wednesday evening that its leadership is continuing “intensive and responsible” efforts to ensure the success of ongoing negotiations aimed at securing a comprehensive ceasefire agreement to end the Israeli regime’s devastating war on Gaza.
In an official statement, Hamas stressed its commitment to reaching an agreement that would guarantee the urgent and sustained flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, alleviate the worsening humanitarian crisis, and bring an end to the genocide that began on October 7, 2023.
The group affirmed it has been “working seriously and positively” with mediators to overcome obstacles in the talks, despite what it described as the intransigence of the Israeli occupation. Hamas emphasized that it had shown the “necessary flexibility” in pursuit of a successful outcome, including agreeing to release 10 Israeli captives held in Gaza as part of a broader agreement.
However, the movement made it clear that key issues remain under negotiation, particularly the permanent and unhindered entry of humanitarian aid, the full withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, and the establishment of a complete and lasting ceasefire.
Israeli withdrawal stalling talks
A senior Palestinian official speaking to Al Mayadeen revealed that the issue of Israeli withdrawal continues to stall progress in the Doha negotiations. “The withdrawal point is still unresolved, and it is directly linked to the aid mechanism, and vice versa,” the official said.
The source added that the Israeli military refuses to withdraw from several strategic areas, including Rafah, eastern Khan Younis, eastern Gaza City, and Tal al-Zaatar in the northern part of the Strip. Furthermore, "Israel" insists on maintaining control over the aid entry points it has established during the war, a mechanism the Palestinian resistance unequivocally rejects.
Hamas submits unified ceasefire response
Hamas announced on Saturday that it has completed wide-ranging consultations with fellow Palestinian factions and submitted a joint response to mediators on the latest ceasefire framework aimed at halting the Israeli occupation’s war on the Gaza Strip.
In a statement issued by its National Relations Office, Hamas said it held “an extensive series of contacts” with leaders of national and Islamic factions to coordinate and agree on a single position regarding the proposal’s terms and the mechanisms for implementation.
The talks, described as “serious and practical,” produced what the movement called a “unified national consensus” backing the stance of the Palestinian Resistance.
“All factions welcomed this unified reply,” the statement noted, adding that the response was forwarded to mediators “in a positive spirit and with full unanimity” after both internal and external consultations were finalized.
