Gaza 60-day ceasefire nears approval

Diplomats said on Monday, May 25, that a 60-day Gaza ceasefire memorandum was nearing final approval, even as Israeli attacks continued across the enclave and underscored the gap between negotiations and conditions on the ground. Medics cited in Reuters-based reporting said an Israeli strike in Nuseirat in central Gaza killed a mother, father and their infant. Hamas said the continued attacks were a “clear violation” of ceasefire agreements and mediation understandings. President Donald Trump, speaking separately about Iran diplomacy on May 24, said the United States would not “rush” into a broader deal and that negotiators should “take their time and get it right.” ### How close is the 60-day Gaza deal? Sunday reporting cited diplomats as saying a 60-day ceasefire memorandum was nearing final approval. The reported framework comes as mediators have continued to pursue a temporary halt in fighting tied to wider regional diplomacy involving the United States, Egypt and Qatar, according to the source briefing and related reporting on earlier versions of the proposal. (globalbankingandfinance.com) A Reuters report published on May 29, 2025, described a U.S. proposal for a 60-day ceasefire that included phased hostage and prisoner releases and said the plan was guaranteed by Trump and mediators Egypt and Qatar. The current reporting does not establish that a final agreement has been signed, but it indicates diplomats viewed the memorandum as close to approval as of May 25. (sundayguardianlive.com) ### What happened in Nuseirat as talks advanced? Nuseirat, in central Gaza, was the site of one of the strikes reported as diplomacy continued. Reuters-based reporting carried by Global Banking & Finance said medics reported an air strike killed a mother, father and their infant there. Hamas said the continuing Israeli attacks amounted to a “clear violation” of ceasefire agreements and mediation understandings. (usnews.com) That statement reflected the movement’s position that military activity was continuing despite ongoing efforts to secure a new pause in fighting. ### Why is Iran diplomacy part of this story? Trump said on May 24 that the United States would not “rush” into a deal with Iran and that negotiators should “take their time and get it right,” according to France 24 and Bloomberg. (globalbankingandfinance.com) Those comments followed reports that U.S. officials believed a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz was getting closer, while Trump signaled caution about the pace of any agreement. (en.abna24.com) The linkage matters because Gaza ceasefire efforts are unfolding inside a broader regional negotiation track. The available reporting supports that the Gaza memorandum was moving toward approval while U.S.-Iran diplomacy remained active but unsettled. That is an inference from the timing of the two tracks, rather than a formally stated condition tying one agreement to the other. (france24.com) ### What does the war look like beyond the front lines? The National reported on May 24 that Gaza’s once-exported flower industry has effectively been wiped out, with no flower fields or greenhouses left. The report described the destruction of a small agricultural trade that had supplied export markets before the war. (sundayguardianlive.com) FAO and UNOSAT damage assessments published in 2025 documented extensive destruction to Gaza’s greenhouses, providing broader evidence of the collapse in agricultural infrastructure. Those assessments do not by themselves verify every detail in The National’s account, but they support the reported scale of damage to horticulture in the strip. (thenationalnews.com) ### What comes next? May 25 reporting did not say when the 60-day memorandum would be formally approved or implemented. The next concrete step is whether mediators secure final sign-off from the parties and publish terms covering the duration of the pause, hostage and prisoner exchanges, and aid access. (openknowledge.fao.org) Trump said on May 24 that U.S. negotiators should “take their time,” and diplomats were still describing the Gaza text as nearing approval rather than complete. That leaves the immediate focus on mediator announcements and any formal statements from Israel, Hamas, the United States, Egypt and Qatar. (france24.com) (sundayguardianlive.com)