Israel is ready to make a long-term peace deal with Hamas, but only if the group agrees to disarm and leave Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made this clear during talks in Washington with U.S. President Donald Trump. He warned that if Hamas doesn’t agree to Israel’s terms within 60 days, Israel will use military force to meet its goals.
Netanyahu’s comments come as indirect peace talks continue in Qatar. Hamas has agreed to release 10 hostages but demands that aid be allowed into Gaza freely and Israeli troops leave the area. The group also wants firm guarantees of lasting peace. However, key issues like prisoner exchange and who will control Gaza remain unresolved.
Meanwhile, violence in Gaza continues. On Thursday, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 66 people, including eight children waiting outside a clinic. One of the victims was a one-year-old boy who had just spoken his first words. A U.S.-based medical charity called the attack a “blatant violation of humanitarian law.”
Israeli officials say they targeted a Hamas militant involved in the 2023 attack. But Gaza’s health ministry says over 57,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died since the war began. Israel says 1,219 people were killed in the Hamas-led October 2023 attack, and 49 hostages are still believed to be in Gaza, with 27 presumed dead.
As both sides discuss a possible ceasefire, Israel says it may allow Hamas leaders to go into exile. Still, the demand that Hamas disarm and give up control of Gaza remains a red line. Hamas, however, refuses to accept Israeli control or see Palestinians forced into isolated areas. The future of peace remains uncertain, with time running out.