Demands for a swift end to violence in Gaza and the fate of Israeli hostages are putting President Donald Trump at the center of the world stage. Trump’s latest comments about an imminent ceasefire have drawn both cautious optimism and deep skepticism from political rivals, allies, and international observers.
President Trump signaled on Sunday that a Gaza ceasefire could be announced “within days,” telling reporters he is determined to “stop the whole situation as quickly as possible.” According to the Daily Mail, Trump’s administration is negotiating with Israel and regional partners in hopes of brokering a deal that would include the release of Israeli hostages.
The potential breakthrough comes amid a deadly escalation in Gaza. Israeli strikes have intensified, with a weekend attack on a school sheltering displaced civilians reportedly killing at least 20 people, most of them children. As international condemnation of Israel’s offensive grows, pressure is mounting on all sides for a resolution.
Trump’s statement—“We want to see if we can stop it. And we've talked to Israel, we want to see if we can stop this whole situation as quickly as possible”—has been met with a mix of hope and suspicion, especially as news outlets in the Middle East report a ceasefire could be declared imminently. The proposed deal would hinge on the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, according to anonymous sources cited by regional media.
Meanwhile, Israel’s military actions have triggered global outrage. A strike on the Fahmi al-Jarjawi school in Gaza City, which had been serving as a shelter, left dozens dead and wounded. Rescue workers described the aftermath as a “horrific occupation massacre,” with one spokesperson reporting that most of the victims were children.
Israel’s military justified the attack by claiming it struck “key terrorists who were operating within a Hamas and Islamic Jihad command and control center embedded in an area that previously served as the ‘Faami Aljerjawi’ School.” The military also said, “numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians,” but images of devastation and injured children have fueled calls for an end to the fighting.
International voices are growing louder in their demands for an immediate ceasefire and greater humanitarian access to Gaza. Arab and European leaders met over the weekend to push for an end to the conflict. Spain’s Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Albares, publicly called for an arms embargo on Israel and for humanitarian aid to be delivered “massively, without conditions and without limits, and not controlled by Israel.”
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached a tipping point, with aid agencies warning that Israel’s partial easing of a blockade is nowhere near sufficient. The World Food Programme urged Israel to allow “far greater volumes of food assistance into Gaza faster,” citing hunger and desperation among civilians as key drivers of insecurity.
Political tensions have also spilled over into Western capitals. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently accused leaders from the U.K., France, and Canada of siding with Hamas after they issued a joint statement denouncing Israel’s “disproportionate” escalation. Hamas, for its part, welcomed that statement as “an important step” toward restoring international law.
Civilian casualties continue to mount. Gaza’s health ministry reported that at least 3,785 people have been killed since the collapse of the previous ceasefire in March, bringing the total death toll in the conflict to nearly 54,000—most of them civilians. The Gaza civil defense agency described being overwhelmed by the scale of destruction and lacking the equipment to rescue those trapped under rubble.
Strikes across the territory, including in Jabalia, Nuseirat, Deir el-Balah, and Khan Yunis, have killed scores, including entire families. In Khan Yunis, an Israeli strike reportedly killed nine children from a family of doctors, though the Israeli army said it was reviewing the report.
Hostage negotiations remain central to any ceasefire. After Hamas’s October 2023 attack—which left 1,218 Israelis dead and resulted in 251 hostages being taken—at least 57 hostages are believed to remain in Gaza, with 34 presumed dead, according to Israeli military figures.
President Trump’s bid for a rapid ceasefire in Gaza is drawing scrutiny as the conflict’s toll on civilians and regional stability grows. With Israel’s military operations continuing and international condemnation mounting, the coming days will test the ability of U.S. diplomacy to deliver results.
Negotiations between the Trump administration, Israel, and regional actors remain ongoing, with the fate of Israeli hostages and the delivery of humanitarian aid at the heart of any potential agreement. As reported by the Daily Mail, all sides are watching for signs of a breakthrough, but deep divisions persist over the terms and verification of a ceasefire.
The world is now focused on whether Trump’s promise to “stop the whole situation as quickly as possible” will be realized. The consequences for Gaza’s civilians, Israel’s security, and regional stability will hinge on what happens next, as both the hopes and fears of millions rest on the outcome of these high-stakes negotiations.
