The World Watches: Will Israel Heed Trump’s Call to Stop Gaza Bombing?

The world is watching with bated breath to see if Israel will heed Donald Trump’s call to “immediately stop the bombing of Gaza.” The directive came on Saturday after Hamas accepted the core terms of a U.S.-led peace plan, including the release of all Israeli hostages, shifting the diplomatic pressure firmly onto Israel.
Hamas’s acceptance, which followed a stark ultimatum from Trump, has created a new reality on the ground. The group has agreed to a ceasefire, a complete Israeli withdrawal, and a new technocratic government for Gaza, meeting the key demands of a proposal that Israel had already approved in principle.
With Hamas’s compliance secured, Trump immediately moved to the next phase of his plan: de-escalation. His public statement on Truth Social was not a request but a directive, framed as a necessary step to ensure the safe and quick recovery of the hostages. “Israel must immediately stop,” he wrote, leaving no room for ambiguity.
This puts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a difficult position. Continuing the military campaign could jeopardize the hostage deal and create a public rift with a powerful U.S. political figure. However, stopping short of what some in his government consider a total victory could be seen as a concession to Hamas.
The next 24 hours will be critical. Israel’s response to Trump’s call will determine whether the breakthrough deal translates into an immediate cessation of violence and the return of the hostages, or if the fragile opportunity for peace shatters before it can even begin.