Desk Report:
US President Donald Trump has said that a peace deal in the Gaza war is now very close. He said that he will push to finalize the deal in the next few days. He said this in an interview with the US media Axios on Sunday.
Trump said, “I told Bibi, this is your chance to win. She agreed to it. She has to agree. If you are with me, you have to agree.”
Trump’s public statements and behind-the-scenes diplomatic activities have brought Israel and Hamas closer to a ceasefire and a peace agreement. The war began almost two years ago, on October 7, 2023, with a Hamas attack.
The White House said that Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Egypt over the weekend. They will finalize the technical aspects of the prisoner release agreement and discuss a long-term peace agreement.
Earlier, on Saturday morning, the Israeli army said it had moved into a defensive position in Gaza. Air strikes have also been suspended, with limited strikes being carried out only for self-defense. Earlier, on Friday, Trump called on Israel to stop the attacks and sit in on peace talks with Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that he had suspended the military operation. His office said that Israel was preparing for the immediate release of prisoners in accordance with the first phase of the Trump plan. However, the reality on the ground shows that the attacks on Gaza have not stopped yet.
On Saturday, Egypt announced that indirect talks between Israel and Hamas on the implementation of the agreement will begin on Monday in Sharm el-Sheikh. Trump welcomed Israel’s decision in a post on Truth Social. He said that Israel has temporarily stopped bombing, so as to create an opportunity for the prisoner release and the conclusion of the peace agreement.
He warned Hamas to move quickly on the prisoner release process, or the deal would be void. Trump said, “I will not tolerate any delay. Many people think there will be delay. Or any outcome that would put Gaza back in danger. Let’s get this over with quickly. Everyone will be treated fairly.”
Trump spoke to Netanyahu by phone on Friday before publicly calling on Israel to stop the attack. Trump told Axios that his team warned him that Netanyahu might object. But after the talks, Netanyahu agreed.
“Everybody has responded to our plan. Every country in the world has supported it. The UN has supported it. Hamas has come a long way. They want to do it. Now we just have to finalize it,” Trump said. He said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had also pressured Hamas to move forward with the prisoner release. Trump said, “Erdogan has been very helpful. He’s a tough guy, but he’s my friend. “She’s played a great role,” a US official told Axios. “Trump spoke to Erdogan on Friday. He told Erdogan, ‘I’ve done a lot for you. Now it’s your turn to do it.’” Trump also said that Israel has been isolated internationally because of the Gaza war. He wants to restore Israel’s lost prestige by ending the war. “Bibi has dragged it out too far,” he said. “Israel has lost a lot of support in the world. Now I will bring that support back.”
According to the Health Ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war so far. Most of them were civilians.
