Explainer: After Trump's intervention, how close is the Gaza war to ending?

President Donald Trump has urged Israel to halt its bombing of Gaza after Hamas agreed to release hostages and accepted some key parts of a US peace plan — a shift that could mean a two-year-old war is finally coming to a close.

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Smoke rises following explosions in Gaza City as seen from central Gaza Strip on Sunday.

(REUTERS)

Israel announced it would work on “immediate implementation” of the first stage of the plan, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved during a trip to Washington.

Yet potential pitfalls remain — the precise timeline for implementing Trump’s plan remains unclear, some logistics may prove problematic because of Gaza’s devastation, and issues such as Hamas’ disarmament and Israel’s withdrawal appear unsettled. Previous ceasefires during the war came to an end with Israel reviving its offensive and fighting resuming.

Not yet. Despite Trump’s demand to halt the bombing and a period of calm on Saturday, a day after Hamas responded to the Trump plan, there has been little sign of a sustained letup in the air strikes and bombardments. The death toll has continued to climb, with dozens killed since Friday’s announcement by Hamas.

Negotiators are expected to gather in Egypt, probably on Monday, for talks aimed at pushing the process forward.

Potentially. Trump has said he is determined to bring an end to the conflict with this 20-point plan, stating in his message on social media on Friday: “This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long sought peace in the Middle East.”

But this deal follows previous ceasefire attempts — one shortly after the war began in 2023 and another earlier this year — that lasted only a few weeks before war erupted again.

There are plenty of hurdles ahead this time too.