Trump Pushes Gaza Ceasefire, Palestinians Voice Doubts/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Trump urged progress on a Gaza ceasefire deal, while skeptical Palestinians question Israel’s intentions. Talks remain stalled over Hamas’ demands to end the war. Meanwhile, Israel expands military operations, displacing thousands in northern Gaza.
Trump Gaza Ceasefire Quick Looks
- Trump urges swift Gaza ceasefire to secure hostage release
- Palestinians skeptical, citing repeated failed promises
- Israel intensifies evacuations and military operations in Gaza City
- Hamas demands total troop withdrawal for any deal
- Gaza death toll surpasses 56,500, UN warns of health crisis
- Netanyahu trial draws Trump’s criticism, adds political tension
- Gaza’s infrastructure and hospitals remain near collapse
- Israel blames Hamas for stalling negotiations
Deep Look
Trump Pushes For Gaza Ceasefire While Palestinians Remain Skeptical Amid Escalating Israeli Strikes
TEL AVIV, Israel — U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday renewed calls for a ceasefire agreement in Gaza’s 20-month war between Israel and Hamas, but deep skepticism persists among Palestinians who doubt a lasting peace will materialize as Israeli airstrikes and mass evacuations continue.
“MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!” Trump posted on social media early Sunday, echoing a message he shared Friday in which he claimed a deal could come within the next week. The push for diplomacy comes as the conflict continues to devastate the Gaza Strip and as hostages remain in captivity following Hamas’ October 2023 attack on Israel.
Signs Of New Diplomatic Movement
An Israeli official confirmed Sunday that Ron Dermer, a top adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is scheduled to travel to Washington this week for talks focused on a ceasefire. Discussions are also underway for Netanyahu himself to visit the U.S. in the coming weeks, suggesting potential momentum toward negotiations.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu convened his security Cabinet Sunday evening, though no details were released publicly about decisions or new proposals.
But on the ground, violence persists. On Sunday evening, an Israeli airstrike hit a home sheltering displaced families in the Jabaliya al-Nazla area, killing at least 15 people, according to Fares Awad, head of Gaza’s Health Ministry ambulance and emergency services in northern Gaza. Women and children made up more than half the casualties, Awad said. The Israeli military did not comment directly on the strike, though the area fell under Israel’s latest evacuation orders.
Palestinians Doubt Ceasefire Promises
Many Palestinians remain unconvinced that the renewed push for a ceasefire will succeed.
Abdel Hadi Al-Hour, a Palestinian resident, said, “Since the beginning of the war, they have been promising us something like this: Release the hostages and we will stop the war. They did not stop the war.”
An eight-week ceasefire earlier this year brought temporary calm as Trump took office, but Israel resumed military operations in March after Hamas refused new terms demanded by Israel regarding future security arrangements.
A Major Sticking Point: Ending The War
Central to stalled negotiations is a fundamental dispute: Hamas insists any ceasefire must include an end to the war and a full Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza. Israel categorically rejects such terms, demanding Hamas surrender, disarm, and agree to go into exile—a stance the militant group refuses to accept.
Hamas official Mahmoud Merdawi accused Netanyahu of delaying a potential deal, claiming the Israeli leader is pushing for a temporary arrangement that would secure the release of only 10 hostages, leaving dozens still captive. Approximately 50 hostages remain held in Gaza, with less than half believed to be alive, according to estimates.
Netanyahu’s spokesman Omer Dostri countered that Hamas is “the only obstacle to ending the war,” without directly addressing Merdawi’s accusations.
Human Toll Of The War
The Gaza war erupted after Hamas militants stormed southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and seizing roughly 250 hostages. Since then, Israeli strikes have leveled swaths of Gaza, leaving most of the territory’s 2.3 million people displaced, many repeatedly.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported Sunday that 88 more Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours, bringing the war’s total Palestinian death toll to 56,500. The ministry, which operates under Hamas control, does not differentiate between civilian and militant casualties but reports that more than half the dead are women and children.
The humanitarian crisis grows more dire daily. A recent U.N. assessment found that fewer than half of Gaza’s hospitals remain even partially functional, and over 4,000 children require medical evacuation abroad for life-saving care.
“We are exhausted, we are tired. We hope to God that the war will end,” said Gaza resident Mahmoud Wadi.
Military Presses Deeper Into Gaza City
Amid Trump’s diplomatic push, Israel has issued sweeping new evacuation orders for neighborhoods in northern and eastern Gaza City, as well as the crowded Jabaliya refugee camp. Many families, some returning north after the last ceasefire, are again loading belongings onto donkey carts and fleeing south.
Israeli military spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee announced plans to expand operations deeper into Gaza City’s center, urging civilians to move toward the southern coastal Muwasi zone. Israel says the goal is to clear the north for military operations against militants, but rights groups warn this could amount to forcible displacement.
Trump Blasts Netanyahu’s Legal Troubles
Meanwhile, Trump also turned his attention to Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial, describing it as a “POLITICAL WITCH HUNT” that he claimed is interfering with crucial ceasefire negotiations.
In a Saturday night social media post, Trump argued Netanyahu “is right now in the process of negotiating a Deal with Hamas, which will include getting the Hostages back,” and insisted the trial should be halted. His statements marked a significant intrusion into Israel’s internal affairs, rattling many Israelis despite Trump’s popularity in the country.
Netanyahu’s trial has been postponed several times, citing security and diplomatic demands on the prime minister’s schedule. On Sunday, an Israeli court agreed to cancel two more days of Netanyahu’s testimony scheduled for this week.
As Israel’s war in Gaza grinds on with no end in sight, Trump’s call for an imminent ceasefire faces entrenched obstacles—and profound skepticism from both sides of the conflict.
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