Israel accepted a new ceasefire proposal presented by the United States to end the war in Gaza, as stated by the White House on Thursday.
The initiative, led by Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, includes a 60-day ceasefire, the release of 10 living hostages, and the return of the remains of 18 deceased captives, as well as a significant increase in humanitarian aid managed by the UN.
How will the ceasefire in Gaza be implemented?
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated that Israel has “backed and supported” the new details of the proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, although Israeli authorities have not yet officially commented on the matter.
According to Leavitt, Donald Trump and Witkoff “presented a ceasefire proposal” to Hamas and that “Israel has approved it before sending it to Hamas”.
According to Axios, Benjamin Netanyahu told the families of the hostages that he was prepared to accept Witkoff’s latest proposal for a temporary ceasefire.
The ceasefire proposal also aims to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid through a new mechanism supported by the United States and Israel. However, the distribution of this aid has faced challenges, including access restrictions and security issues at delivery points.
Hamas has not yet issued an official response, although they have expressed skepticism, pointing out that the proposal does not guarantee a permanent end to hostilities or adequately address the humanitarian crisis affecting the Palestinian population.
Since the beginning of the conflict in October 2023, following a Hamas attack that left 1,200 dead in Israel, the Israeli offensive in Gaza has caused more than 54,000 deaths, including many women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Controversial approval of settlements in the West Bank
Israel approved the construction of 22 new settlements in the West Bank, which has generated international criticism for undermining the possibility of a two-state solution.
The international community considers these settlements to be illegal, as they do not respect the borders that existed until 1967.
Furthermore, the clashes have extended beyond Gaza, with Israeli attacks in Lebanon and the interception of missiles coming from Yemen.