Trump teases Israel-Hamas ceasefire could be announced soon
Former President Donald Trump suggested that Israel and Hamas might soon announce a ceasefire, as Israeli military operations intensify in Gaza. During a press conference, Trump stated the two sides were “very close” to reaching an agreement, despite Hamas’s rejection of a previous ceasefire proposal that involved negotiations facilitated by the U.S.
The Trump administration proposed a new ceasefire that would require Hamas to release hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. however, achieving a permanent ceasefire is uncertain and hinges on Hamas’s willingness to negotiate, as it remains a critical condition for them.
trump’s remarks come at a time of tension between him and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over differing strategies regarding Iran’s nuclear capability and ongoing military actions in Gaza. Trump’s comments also addressed the situation in Ukraine, expressing disappointment with Russian President vladimir Putin’s recent aggression and hinting at the complexities of the conflict involving both Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Trump teases Israel-Hamas ceasefire could be announced soon
President Donald Trump hinted on Friday that Israel and Hamas are close to another ceasefire, as Israeli ground operations intensify in Gaza.
During a Friday Oval Office press conference, Trump said the adversaries were “very close” to another ceasefire, despite Hamas having rejected the last U.S. ceasefire proposal backed by Israel.
“They’re very close to an agreement on Gaza,” he said. “And we’ll let you know about it during the day or maybe tomorrow.”
The last ceasefire deal went into effect the day before Trump entered office and collapsed in March. Earlier this month, Israel intensified ground operations in Gaza against the wishes of the Trump administration.
The U.S. put forward a new 60-day ceasefire proposal, viewed by CNN, which would entail Hamas releasing 10 Israeli hostages and 18 bodies in exchange for 125 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,111 Gazans detained since Oct. 7, 2023.
While negotiations toward a permanent ceasefire would begin immediately, such a peace isn’t guaranteed. A permanent ceasefire is a key Hamas requirement that served as their reason for backing out of the most recent proposal.
Trump’s hopeful comments about a ceasefire come amid strain between him and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over disagreements regarding Iran’s nuclear program and the continuation of the war in Gaza. The U.S. favors negotiations while Israel is pursuing military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities. The issue has formed a major wedge between Washington and Jerusalem.
The president gave similarly hopeful comments on the prospect of an Iranian nuclear deal, saying he believes the U.S. has “a chance of making a deal.”
“They don’t want to be blown up,” Trump said. “They would rather make a deal, and I think that could happen in the not-too-distant future. That would be a great thing if we could have a deal without bombs being dropped all over the Middle East. That would be a very good thing.”
The president also commented on the war in Ukraine, saying he was “surprised” and “disappointed” by Russian President Vladimir Putin over his recent missile and drone onslaught against Ukraine, but declined to call either Putin or Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the “bad guy” in the conflict when pressed.
“We were going to solve a problem, and then all of a sudden, rockets got shot into a couple of cities and people died,” Trump said.
TRUMP PRESSURES NETANYAHU AND HAMAS FOR A GAZA ENDGAME
“I saw things that I was surprised at, and I don’t like being surprised, so I’m very disappointed,” he added.
He also criticized Zelensky, saying that like Putin, he has been “stubborn.”
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