Jerusalem, 9 September, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar signaled readiness to consider U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to end the war in Gaza on Tuesday. Sa’ar’s remarks — during a meeting in Zagreb with croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković — marked the first time an Israeli official has publicly acknowledged that Jerusalem is open to the White House’s plan for ending the war with Hamas and securing the release of all hostages.
“But the war could end tomorrow. President Trump made it clear two days ago: Israel said ‘yes’ to his proposal. We are ready to accept a full deal that will end the war—based on the cabinet decision,” Sa’ar said. “We have only two simple demands: the return of the hostages—48 hostages are still being held in brutal captivity. And Hamas must disarm.”
The second demand, disarming Hamas, Sa’ar stressed, “is not only critical for Israel; it promises a better future for Gaza and the Palestinians, free from Hamas’ oppressive terrorist regime.”
Neither the U.S. nor Israel has officially disclosed the full details of the White House’s proposal. It is believed to call for the immediate release of hostages at once, the freezing of Israel’s expected offensive into Gaza City, and the start of negotiations for a comprehensive end to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
President Donald Trump said Sunday that Israel had accepted his terms for a hostage exchange that could bring the war to an end. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to convene a cabinet meeting to formally approve the deal, which could face resistance from far-right coalition members.
During his visit to Zagreb, Sa’ar also met with croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić-Radman. The two held a private meeting, followed by discussions involving their respective teams. Sa’ar stressed the ongoing threats facing Israel, citing Monday’s terror attack in Jerusalem in which six people were killed.
“Israel has been fighting for its existence against radical Islamic terrorism for almost two years. Just yesterday, palestinian terrorists murdered six Israelis in a horrific attack in our capital and wounded many more. These murderers came from just a few kilometers away—from the territories of the Palestinian Authority—to kill Jews. This is the dangerous reality we face in our tiny country,” he said.
Sa’ar also warned that attempts to recognize a Palestinian state under current conditions would undermine regional stability. “Yesterday’s terrorist attack illustrates the danger of establishing a Palestinian terrorist state in the heart of our homeland. It rewards Hamas for the October 7 massacre and incentivizes the continuation of the war. This initiative will not bring us closer to peace or security; on the contrary, it will only undermine stability in the region,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military issued an unprecedented evacuation order for all residents of Gaza City on Tuesday, warning of imminent large-scale military operations against Hamas in the area. Aircraft dropped leaflets throughout the neighborhoods of the city, Hamas’ last stronghold.
“The IDF is determined to defeat Hamas and will operate in the Gaza City area with great force, just as it has throughout the Strip,” Arabic-language spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee tweeted.
The move comes after days of heavy Israeli airstrikes targeting the Hamas-run enclave. On Monday night, the IDF struck a high-rise building in Gaza City, describing it as a site “used by Hamas and housing military infrastructure used to promote and carry out terror plans against IDF forces in the area.” The army said such strikes would continue later this week as part of a broader campaign to weaken Hamas’ operational capabilities in the city.
Military assessments suggest tens of thousands of residents have already left Gaza City in recent days, with departures increasing following the recent strikes. The IDF estimates that roughly one million people remain in the city, including between eight and ten Israeli hostages. Four IDF brigades are currently operating around the city, advancing along its outer neighborhoods in preparation for an expected ground offensive.
Approximately 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 48 remaining hostages, about 20 are believed to be alive.
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