The Palestinian group Hamas has expressed readiness to enter a ceasefire with Israel. On Friday, Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza. Meanwhile, newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump called for Israel to halt its ongoing attacks on Palestinian territories.


This announcement came a week after Hamas closed its political office in Qatar, with Qatar urging both Israel and Hamas to show commitment to negotiations.


Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas' political bureau based in Doha, told AFP, "Hamas is prepared to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip if it is respected, as well as offering a ceasefire."

Bassem Naim also stated, "We call on the U.S. administration and President Trump to apply pressure to stop the Israeli aggression."


Earlier, Majed Al Ansari, the spokesman for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced that mediation efforts would resume once all parties show genuine interest in negotiations.


However, despite Hamas announcing its agreement to a ceasefire, Israel continued its attacks on Gaza. The city of Deir-al-Balah is still under bombardment, and residents are searching for their loved ones in the rubble.


Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,206 people. In response, Israel began its assault on Gaza, which has resulted in 43,764 deaths so far, the majority of which are women and children. During the attack, Hamas took 251 hostages, of whom 97 remain captive. Last Friday, Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas, released a video showing one of the Israeli hostages. The fate of the hostages has become uncertain after Qatar withdrew from mediation.


Meanwhile, Israel has also been attacking Lebanon. Since October, 3,380 people have been killed in Israeli strikes there. In Lebanon, talks for a ceasefire have started, with Lebanese officials confirming that they have received a draft proposal from the United States, which is currently under review. Iran, which supports Hezbollah in Lebanon, has expressed its support for the ceasefire proposal.


A senior U.S. official, speaking anonymously, revealed that U.S. Ambassador Lisa Johnson discussed the ceasefire proposal with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Nabih Berri, a spokesman close to Hezbollah, on Thursday. The proposal, which is five pages long, includes 13 points.


France is also involved as a mediator alongside the U.S. If Israel and Hezbollah agree to the proposal, both countries will issue a joint statement. The proposal calls for a 60-day ceasefire, during which Lebanese troops will be deployed along the Lebanon-Israel border. Berri has requested three days to review the U.S. proposal. While Israel intends to continue its attacks against Hezbollah, the U.S. State Department remains focused on pursuing a diplomatic resolution.