US Proposes Gaza Ceasefire Plan — Here Are the Points

1. Background & Diplomatic Context

Tensions in Gaza have reached critical levels since October 2023. As Israel intensified military operations, humanitarian conditions deteriorated: the UN reported more than 54,000 Palestinian deaths, acute malnutrition among children, and critical shortages in food, water, and sanitation reuters.comtheguardian.com. Meanwhile, Western efforts for a resolution intensified. On May 30, 2025, the United States unveiled a comprehensive 60-day ceasefire proposal, mediated alongside Egypt and Qatar and backed by former President Trump reuters.com.

The initiative aims to halt fighting, secure hostage releases, and ramp up humanitarian aid—with potential pathways to long-term peace.

2. Core Components of the 60‑Day Ceasefire

🔹 Duration

• A firm 60-day truce between Israel and Hamas, commencing immediately upon agreement and monitored by mediators reuters.com.

🔹 Hostage–Prisoner Exchange

• Phase 1: Exchange of 28 Israeli hostages (both living and deceased) for 1,236 Palestinian prisoners and the remains of 180 Palestinians reuters.com.

• Phase 2: Remaining Israeli hostages released only after final ceasefire terms are confirmed reuters.com.

🔹 Humanitarian Access

• Deployment of UN, Red Crescent, and other aid groups to facilitate daily humanitarian deliveries deep into Gaza reuters.comtheguardian.com.

• Expansion includes reopening distribution hubs and increased security; two sites have already resumed operations in Rafah before later suspensions due to dangerous conditions theguardian.comreuters.comreuters.com.

🔹 Roadmap to Permanent Ceasefire

• Opens structured negotiations during the 60 days for a long-term resolution, including Israeli troop withdrawal, disarmament mandates for Hamas, and governance overhaul reuters.comapnews.com.

3. Positions of Key Actors

✅ U.S. & Mediators (Egypt, Qatar)

• The U.S. framing sees this as a balanced approach—addressing hostage recovery, humanitarian relief, and moving toward lasting peace reuters.comapnews.com.

• Mediators emphasized that the opportunity is here: Hamas must decide whether to end the war bbc.comapnews.com.

✅ Israel

• Prime Minister Netanyahu and his war cabinet approved the proposal; Israel sees it as a chance to recover hostages and establish a pause in violence reuters.comnewarab.com.

• Nonetheless, right-wing members are wary—some argue that a ceasefire without dismantling Hamas is premature and could weaken Israel’s security stance bbc.combbc.com.

🟡 Hamas

• Officially, Hamas has not outright rejected the proposal. According to negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, they seek better guarantees, including a full end to hostilities and Israeli troop withdrawal reuters.comapnews.com.

• Key demands include cessation of war, full withdrawal of forces, and an end to famine—phrasing they say remains unmet reuters.comapnews.com.

4. Humanitarian Stakes

A crucial impetus behind the plan is the humanitarian crisis. Over 2,700 children under five in Gaza face acute malnutrition, and water and sanitary systems have collapsed—impacting 700,000 women and girls theguardian.comreuters.com. Aid disruptions, violence at distribution centers, and constrained security measures have hampered essential relief reuters.comreuters.com. Escalating suffering underscores the urgent need to implement secure, reliable aid mechanisms.

5. Phased Implementation & Conditions

Each phase is contingent on meeting the previous one’s criteria, requiring diplomatic coordination and ceasefire compliance.

6. Points of Contention

Israeli Skepticism

• Skeptics argue a ceasefire without full Hamas dismantling could allow regrouping—some officials threaten to leave the coalition if a deal is made bbc.combbc.com.

Hamas Demands

• Hamas seeks critical assurances: a complete end to the war and Israeli military withdrawal—two components Israel currently rejects reuters.comapnews.com.

Humanitarian Gaps

• Even with a truce, logistical challenges remain. Aid sites previously reopened but then shuttered after violence—covid tenseness grows over future security reuters.comreuters.com.

7. Regional & International Reaction

• UN & NGOs are vocal: many support the deal but warn serious safeguards are necessary for aid access theguardian.comreuters.com.

• Global pressure mounts after the U.S. veto at the UN Security Council, which blocked a ceasefire resolution—provoking criticism from Iran, Germany, Brazil, and other UN members theguardian.comreuters.com.

• Neighboring Middle-Easters, including Egypt and Qatar, emphasise diplomatic oversight and urge Hamas to move forward bbc.comapnews.com.

8. What Comes Next

1. Hamas Decision: Current phase expected to see Hamas presenting detailed modifications or accepting the plan outright.

2. Aid Resumption: GHF and UN agencies must reestablish distribution with operational safety protocols.

3. Ceasefire Monitoring: Mediators (U.S., Egypt, Qatar) to deploy mechanisms—possibly UN observers—for truce enforcement.

4. Long-Term Talks: If Phase 1 succeeds, negotiations begin on troop withdrawal, Hamas disarmament, and Gaza’s post-war future.

These steps are critical for transitioning from temporary relief to durable peace and reconstruction.

9. Significance & Risks

• For Gaza: A 60-day halt could save thousands of lives, alleviate humanitarian crisis, and allow rebuilding infrastructure and social services—if fully implemented.

• For Israel: Recovery of hostages could ease domestic pressure; but a false truce may hinder broader military objectives.

• Geopolitical Impact: Success could revive U.S. diplomatic leverage in the region, mend ties with EU partners angered by vetoes, and prevent war spillover. Failure, however, may embolden extremism, further deteriorate Gaza’s condition, and degrade diplomatic credibility.

10. Conclusion

The U.S. ceasefire proposal brings a rare convergence of political will from Washington, Israel, Egypt, and Qatar—anchored in humanitarian imperative and hostage diplomacy. Yet it confronts major political and practical hurdles: balancing Israeli security, Hamas’s red lines, and tangible aid delivery amid violence.

This 60-day initiative is a diplomatic gamble: success hinges on coordination, trusted verifications, and a shared resolve to deliver both political compromise and humanitarian relief. Should it hold, the terms could lay the groundwork for a more enduring settlement. If it falls apart, Gaza risks further calamity—and the region risks renewed chaos.