By Yuvraj Tyagi

Copyright timesnownews

US President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that Israel had agreed to the initial withdrawal line under his proposed Gaza ceasefire framework. “After negotiations, Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line, which we have shown to, and shared with, Hamas. When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal, which will bring us close to the end of this 3,000 YEAR CATASTROPHE,” Trump wrote. According to two Israeli officials quoted by Haaretz (4 October 2025), Hamas has received the proposal and has indicated readiness to move into detailed talks. While final confirmation is still pending, negotiators from Israel, Egypt, and the United States have been working to align the technical aspects of the deal. Netanyahu’s Position on Ceasefire Framework Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had instructed the Israeli negotiating team, led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, to travel to Egypt to finalise the details of the hostage release. “Our goal is to limit the negotiations to just a few days. Trump made it clear: We will not tolerate stalling tactics or evasions,” Netanyahu stated in remarks reported by The Times of Israel. Netanyahu described the process as multi-phased. “In the first phase, Hamas will release the hostages while the Israeli military redeploys as it still maintains control of all of the dominant areas deep inside the strip,” he explained. In the second phase, he added, “Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza will be demilitarised. This will happen either through the diplomatic path by the Trump plan or through the military path, but it will be achieved.” Hamas Response and Key Conditions Hamas officials have said they are willing to negotiate for the release of hostages but have not agreed to disarm, according to Al Jazeera. This remains one of the core sticking points in Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan. The proposal includes a clause granting amnesty to Hamas members who commit to peaceful coexistence with Israel, a provision that has drawn sharp criticism from sections of the Israeli government. Despite these differences, Netanyahu credited military operations in Gaza City as key to pushing Hamas to the negotiating table. “Instead of Israel being isolated, Hamas is isolated, and as a result, Hamas was pressured to agree to the plan we brought forward,” Netanyahu told reporters, as quoted by Reuters. Far-Right Ministers’ Backlash Members of Netanyahu’s far-right coalition expressed immediate opposition to the ceasefire plan. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir threatened to resign from the government if Hamas remains intact after the hostage release. “We will not be part of a national defeat that would be shameful and that would become a ticking time bomb for the next massacre,” Ben Gvir said in a statement reported by The Jerusalem Post. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also criticised the plan, arguing that negotiations should only occur under military fire. “The Prime Minister’s decision to stop the offensive in Gaza and, for the first time, conduct negotiations not under fire is a serious mistake and a sure recipe for Hamas to buy time and for a growing erosion of Israel’s position,” Smotrich wrote on X. Both ministers, however, signalled they would not leave the coalition immediately. Instead, they indicated they would wait to see the outcome of the first phase, particularly the hostage release, before making final decisions on their political positions.