Hamas militant group has reportedly sent a letter directly to US President Donald Trump, offering a 60-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of half the hostages held in Gaza.
According to reports, the letter is currently with Qatari officials and is expected to be delivered to the White House this week. Qatar has frequently acted as a mediator in past ceasefire talks between Hamas, Israel, and the United States.
Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff previously said negotiations collapsed in June, accusing Hamas of showing “a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.”
The development comes as Trump meets with foreign leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where calls for peace have grown louder. On Sunday, the United Kingdom, Canada, Portugal, and Australia formally recognized a Palestinian state. More than 145 countries worldwide already do so.
Trump has opposed the move, arguing that recognition “emboldens extremists and rewards Hamas,” the group behind the October 7, 2023, attacks on southern Israel that triggered the war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also condemned the recognition, saying:
“I have a clear message to those leaders who recognize a Palestinian state after the terrible massacre on October 7th, 2023: You are giving a huge reward to terrorism. And I have another message for you: It will not happen. A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River.”
The Trump administration has already tightened restrictions, announcing last month it would deny or revoke visas for Palestinian officials and diplomats unless they “completely reject terrorism” and stop pushing for unilateral recognition.
Forty-eight hostages remain in Gaza, though fewer than half are believed to be alive. Recently, Trump issued what he described as his “last warning” to Hamas, demanding the return of the captives.
