coinciding with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington, that if both sides agree to a 60-day ceasefire proposal, Israel will use this period to propose a permanent ceasefire that would require Hamas to disarm.
The official, who requested anonymity, said that if Hamas refuses, "we will proceed" with military operations.
Trump met with Netanyahu on Tuesday for the second time in two days to discuss the situation in Gaza. Steve Witkoff, the US president's Middle East envoy, indicated that Israel and Hamas are close to reaching a ceasefire agreement, 21 months after the outbreak of the war.
Trump had previously predicted the possibility of reaching an agreement this week, sparking speculation about a possible announcement before Netanyahu's departure for Israel on Thursday.
Trump appeared to extend the timeframe slightly on Wednesday when he told reporters that although a deal was "very close," it could be reached this week or even the week after, though it was "not certain."
Witkov told reporters at a government meeting on Tuesday that the expected agreement would include the release of 10 living detainees and the handover of the remains of nine others.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with full US support, has been committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, including killing, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement, ignoring calls from the international community and decisions of the International Court of Justice.
The aggression left more than 195,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, the majority of whom were children and women. In addition, more than 10,000 people remain missing, hundreds of thousands have been displaced, and famine has claimed the lives of many, including dozens of children.
