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The United States has backed a plan for a 60-day ceasefire that includes a step-by-step release of hostages and talks aimed at ending the conflict. The negotiations are moving slowly, with disagreements between Israel and Hamas over how many Israeli forces should withdraw from Gaza.
"The negotiations are moving slowly due to disagreements between Israel and Hamas. (File Photo)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Jul 14, 2025 07:17 IST
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he hopes the ongoing talks for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will be resolved soon. He told reporters, "We are talking and hopefully we're going to get that straightened out over the next week."
The United States has backed a plan for a 60-day ceasefire that includes a step-by-step release of hostages, Israeli troops pulling back from parts of Gaza, and talks aimed at ending the conflict.
Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff also said that he was "hopeful" on Gaza ceasefire negotiations. Witkoff told reporters in Teterboro, New Jersey, that he planned to meet senior Qatari officials on the sidelines of the FIFA Club World Cup final.
The negotiations are moving slowly, with disagreements between Israel and Hamas over how many Israeli forces should withdraw from Gaza.
KEY STICKING POINTS STALL CEASEFIRE PROGRESS
An Israeli official said the talks continued but blamed the slow progress on Hamas, calling them "stubborn" and unwilling to agree to terms that would help reach a deal. Hamas, on the other hand, has said Israeli demands are the main obstacle.
According to news agency Reuters, Hamas rejected Israeli proposals that would leave about 40% of Gaza under Israeli control, including the southern area of Rafah and some northern and eastern parts. Hamas reportedly wants Israel to return to the borders set in a previous ceasefire before the conflict escalated in March.
Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages if there is a clear agreement to end the war. Israel demands that fighting will only stop after all hostages are freed and Hamas is dismantled both as a military force and as a governing body in Gaza.
The conflict started on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and capturing 251 hostages who were taken into Gaza. Of these hostages, about 50 remain captive, and it is believed that at least 20 are still alive.
Since then, Israel's military actions have killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. The conflict has displaced almost the entire population of over 2 million people living in Gaza, causing a severe humanitarian crisis.
- Ends
With inputs from Agencies
Published By:
Satyam Singh
Published On:
Jul 14, 2025
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