Hamas said it has received "some ideas" from the United States through mediators on how to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and was discussing how to develop them into a comprehensive agreement, as U.S. President Donald Trump urged the Palestinian group to accept what he called his "last warning."
A senior Palestinian official familiar with the ceasefire efforts described a U.S. plan in which all hostages held in Gaza would be freed within the first 48 hours of a 60-day truce in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, including those serving life sentences, and detainees from Gaza. The official said the proposal would include a personal U.S. presidential guarantee that both sides would enter into good-faith negotiations on an end to the war.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that "Everyone wants the Hostages HOME. Everyone wants this War to end! The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well." He added: "I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one!"
Hamas said it welcomed the initiative and was in constant contact with intermediaries to turn the ideas into a comprehensive agreement that "meets the needs of our people." The group said it was ready to negotiate the immediate release of the 48 remaining hostages it says are in Gaza in return for "a clear" declaration ending the war, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the formation of a committee of Palestinian independents to manage the territory.
An Israeli official quoted by local media said Israel was "seriously considering" the U.S. plan. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel had accepted the terms outlined by Trump and that a deal would require the return of all hostages and the disarmament of Hamas. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned Hamas to free the hostages and lay down its arms or face further destruction.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged civilians in Gaza City to evacuate as the Israeli military intensified air and ground operations there. "In the last two days we brought down 50 terrorist high-rises, and this is only the beginning of the ground operation in Gaza City," Netanyahu said in a video message. "I say to the residents of Gaza City: you have been warned, get out of there."
Hospitals in Gaza reported at least 40 people were killed in Monday's Israeli strikes, including 25 in Gaza City and elsewhere in the north. The territory's Hamas-run health ministry has tallied at least 64,522 people killed in Israeli attacks since Israel launched its campaign after Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023. The health ministry also said 393 people have died during the war as a result of malnutrition and starvation.
The Israeli military said four soldiers were killed in recent combat in northern Gaza. Israeli forces have also continued targeted strikes on structures they say Hamas used for military purposes. Video verified by the BBC showed the collapse of the al-Roya 2 high-rise after it was hit by two projectiles. The military said the building had been used by Hamas fighters to plan and carry out attacks. Before the strike, the military ordered dozens of displaced families sheltering in and around the building to evacuate.
Displaced Gazans described mounting fear and uncertainty about where to seek safety. "We don't know what to do and where to go. The bombing is insane," said Janine Zoarob, a displaced woman who had been sheltering in a tent near the high-rise, speaking to Reuters.
The U.S. proposal, as described by the Palestinian official, envisages that the 60-day truce would create space for talks addressing core issues. Negotiations during the first two weeks of the truce would cover Hamas's disarmament, the formation of an independent administrative committee in Gaza and arrangements for Israeli troop withdrawals, the official said. The plan would also call for humanitarian aid to flow openly into Gaza.
United Nations and aid officials have repeatedly warned that conditions in Gaza constitute a severe humanitarian emergency. UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher warned the window was closing to prevent famine in Gaza City from spreading to central and southern Gaza. Fletcher urged unimpeded, scaled-up humanitarian access, the protection of civilians, a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
Since the 7 October attacks in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage, negotiations over hostage releases and ceasefires have periodically involved regional mediators and international actors. Previous deals have included phased releases tied to pauses in fighting and exchanges of prisoners, but durable agreements have been elusive.
Israeli officials have said they would only agree to a deal that ensures Hamas is disarmed and that the hostages are returned. Hamas has conditioned releases on a clear end to the war, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and new mechanisms to administer Gaza.
Diplomats and mediators were reported to be working to refine the U.S. ideas into a text that could be presented to the parties. It remained unclear how soon formal talks based on the U.S. framework could begin or whether the competing demands could be reconciled amid ongoing military operations and a deepening humanitarian crisis.
Reporting from Gaza and regional capitals indicated both intensifying battlefield activity and intensive diplomatic engagement. International organizations, governments and aid agencies continued to call for urgent humanitarian access while negotiators pursued a possible path toward a temporary truce and broader talks.