Netanyahu visits US as Trump puts pressure to agree Gaza ceasefire deal | BBCNews

Key Concepts:

• Gaza ceasefire negotiations
• Indirect talks between Hamas and Israel
• Israeli hostages
• US involvement and potential pressure on Israel
• Hamas demands: UN aid, troop withdrawal, end to hostilities
• Israeli position on ceasefire terms

Negotiations and Sticking Points:

The core issue revolves around achieving a ceasefire in Gaza. Indirect talks between Hamas and Israel in Qatar concluded without a breakthrough. Donald Trump expressed optimism about securing the release of remaining Israeli hostages during the coming week.

Hamas Demands:

Hamas is requesting several key conditions for a ceasefire:

1. Resumption of UN Aid: Hamas wants the UN to be allowed to resume providing aid to Gaza.
2. Withdrawal of Israeli Troops: Hamas demands a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
3. End to Hostilities Commitment: Crucially, Hamas seeks a commitment from the US that the war and all hostilities will end after any ceasefire period. This is a major sticking point, as Israel has previously rejected this condition.

Israeli Position:

Israel has stated its willingness to agree to a ceasefire based on the proposal it has already accepted, suggesting a reluctance to make further concessions.

US Role and Potential Pressure:

The meeting between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu is significant because of the potential for Trump to exert pressure on Netanyahu to offer concessions, particularly regarding Hamas' demand for a commitment to end hostilities.

Notable Quotes:

• Donald Trump: "I think there's a good chance we have a deal with Hamas during the week, during the coming week pertaining to quite a few of the hostage... pertaining to the remaining hostages, quite a few of them will be coming out. We think we'll have that done this week."

Conclusion:

The possibility of a Gaza ceasefire hinges on resolving the key sticking point of Hamas' demand for a guarantee of an end to hostilities after the ceasefire period. The extent to which Donald Trump is willing to pressure Benjamin Netanyahu to compromise on this issue will likely determine the outcome of the negotiations.