U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday urged progress on a ceasefire agreement to end the ongoing Gaza war, though many Palestinians remain skeptical after months of stalled negotiations and continued violence. Meanwhile, Israel issued fresh mass evacuation orders for parts of northern Gaza.
An Israeli official confirmed that Ron Dermer, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will travel to Washington this week for ceasefire talks. Plans are also underway for Netanyahu to visit the U.S. in the coming weeks, signaling potential movement toward a deal.
Netanyahu was meeting with his security cabinet Sunday evening to discuss ceasefire efforts and military operations, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!” Trump wrote on social media early Sunday, expressing optimism after suggesting on Friday that an agreement could be reached within a week.
Palestinians wary of latest ceasefire efforts
Earlier this year, an eight-week ceasefire was in place as Trump took office, but Israel resumed its military campaign in March after Hamas rejected proposed new terms.
“Since the war began, they have kept making promises like this — release the hostages, stop the war,” said Palestinian resident Abdel Hadi Al-Hour. “But the war hasn’t stopped.”
Israeli strikes continued Sunday, with an airstrike hitting a house sheltering displaced families in Jabaliya al-Nazla, northern Gaza, killing at least 15 people, including women and children, according to Fares Awad, head of Gaza’s emergency services. The area was covered by the latest Israeli evacuation order.
During a visit to Israel’s Shin Bet internal security agency, Netanyahu said the Gaza war and Israel’s ongoing conflict with Iran have created new opportunities. “First, to bring the hostages home. Of course, we also need to solve the Gaza issue and defeat Hamas — I believe we will succeed in both,” he said.
Major obstacle to ceasefire deal remains
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas have repeatedly stalled over one key issue — whether a ceasefire agreement should end the war entirely.
Israeli airstrikes kill at least 72 in Gaza as ceasefire hopes grow
Hamas official Mahmoud Merdawi accused Netanyahu of blocking progress by only agreeing to a limited deal that would release just 10 hostages. Roughly 50 hostages remain in Gaza, though fewer than half are believed to be alive.
Netanyahu’s spokesperson Omer Dostri blamed Hamas for obstructing peace efforts but did not directly address Merdawi’s claims.
Hamas has proposed freeing all hostages in exchange for a full Israeli military withdrawal and an end to the war. Israel has rejected this, demanding that Hamas surrender, disarm, and go into exile — conditions the group refuses to accept.
The Gaza war erupted after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed around 1,200 people and saw approximately 250 taken hostage.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, 88 more Palestinians were killed by Israeli attacks in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 56,500. The ministry, under Hamas control, does not distinguish between militants and civilians but says over half of the casualties are women and children.
The war has displaced most of Gaza's population multiple times, devastated urban areas, and left people dependent on aid — which Israel has restricted since the last ceasefire ended.
The UN reports fewer than half of Gaza’s hospitals are partially functional, with over 4,000 children requiring medical evacuation abroad.
“We are exhausted. We pray the war ends,” said Mahmoud Wadi, a Palestinian resident.
Israel orders mass evacuation from northern Gaza
Israel’s military issued new evacuation orders for large areas of northern Gaza, including parts of Gaza City and Jabaliya refugee camp, where hundreds of thousands had returned during the earlier ceasefire.
Trump suggests Gaza ceasefire could happen within a week
Residents were seen loading belongings onto donkey carts as they prepared to flee once again.
The military plans to expand operations toward central Gaza City, urging civilians to move south to the Muwasi area, military spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee said.
The campaign aims to clear civilians from northern Gaza to allow Israeli forces to target militants more freely, though rights groups warn such actions may constitute forced displacement.
Trump criticizes Netanyahu’s trial
Trump also renewed his criticism of Netanyahu’s corruption trial, calling it “a POLITICAL WITCH HUNT” and claiming it interferes with ceasefire efforts.
In a social media post Saturday, Trump alleged the trial complicates hostage negotiations and called for its cancellation — a rare direct intervention in Israel’s domestic affairs that unsettled some Israelis despite his popularity there.
Netanyahu’s trial has faced repeated delays at his request, citing national security concerns. The court postponed two more days of scheduled testimony on Sunday.
Source: Agency