Israel accepts Trump’s Gaza ceasefire proposal, White House confirms
BISHOP Mariann Budde, Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt, Imam Talib Shareff, and Rev. Thomas Bowen spoke at the Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum reopening on 29 May, one week after two Israeli embassy staff were fatally shot outside the museum. Elias Rodriguez has been charged in the case.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/AFP
The White House announced Thursday that Israel has accepted a Gaza ceasefire proposal submitted by US President Donald Trump, while discussions with Hamas are still underway.
The Palestinian militant group earlier said it was reviewing a new deal proposed by Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. There has been no immediate confirmation from Israel.
"I can confirm that special envoy Witkoff and the president submitted a ceasefire proposal to Hamas, that Israel backed and supported. Israel signed off on this proposal before it was sent to Hamas," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
Leavitt added that negotiations are ongoing and expressed hope for progress. "I can also confirm that those discussions are continuing, and we hope that a ceasefire in Gaza will take place so we can return all of the hostages home," she told reporters.
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce also weighed in on the proposal’s current status. "We are unaware of Hamas accepting it, but we do believe that it has some significant promise," Bruce told reporters.
"So there is some optimism -- some important optimism," Bruce said.
Leavitt did not confirm reports from Saudi and Israeli media claiming that both sides had agreed to a 60-day ceasefire and that an official announcement was forthcoming.
"If there is an announcement to be made, it will come from the White House -- the president, myself, or special envoy Witkoff," Leavitt said.
The ceasefire proposal marks the latest US-led effort to halt the ongoing conflict in Gaza and secure the release of hostages, as diplomatic channels remain open and discussions continue.