Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to Israel on Friday without finalizing a truce with Hamas in Gaza, despite days of talks in Washington with American officials, including President Trump. The fate of the war in the Gaza Strip now hangs in the balance due to unresolved key issues.
Netanyahu announced that he was working towards a two-month truce in which Hamas would release half of its roughly 50 hostages held in Gaza. However, his statement highlighted the remaining obstacles to an agreement, including Hamas’s refusal to disarm and Israel’s demands for a demilitarized Gaza with no governing or military capabilities.
Hamas officials rejected the premise of disarmament, leaving the future of talks uncertain. Another obstacle concerns whether Israeli soldiers deployed in Gaza would retreat during any truce. Hamas wants Israel to withdraw entirely from the territory, while Israel seeks to retain control over key areas.
The situation remains volatile, with new violence reported on Friday. An Israeli strike hit a former school in northern Gaza used as a shelter for displaced people, killing nine people. The Gaza health ministry reported that its remaining hospitals were running out of fuel, forcing them to halt some services.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/11/world/middleeast/netanyahu-washington-gaza-talks.html