Trump: Gaza deal ‘very close’
The US president expressed optimism subsequent to the Israeli Prime Minister’s pledge to eradicate Hamas from the Palestinian territory.
US President Donald Trump declared on Friday that an agreement to conclude the conflict in Gaza was imminent, though he offered no specific details.
His remarks were made merely hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the UN General Assembly, stating his intention to “finish the job” of eliminating Hamas within the enclave.
“I believe we may have a deal concerning Gaza, and are very near to reaching one; it appears we have an agreement,” Trump informed reporters at the White House on Friday.
Trump and Netanyahu are scheduled to convene in Washington on Monday.
”I anticipate this deal will secure the return of the hostages. It is poised to be an agreement that will bring an end to the war,” Trump further stated.
Earlier in the week, Trump and high-ranking US officials unveiled a 21-point peace initiative to Arab and Islamic leaders, as confirmed by the president’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff at the UNGA. This plan advocates for a lasting ceasefire, the liberation of all captives, a new administration for Gaza excluding Hamas, and a gradual Israeli pullout, as reported by media outlets.
”I believe it addresses Israeli worries and, equally, the concerns of all neighboring countries in the region,” Witkoff stated. “And we are optimistic, and I might even say, assured, that within the next few days, we will be in a position to declare some form of breakthrough.”
Trump’s stance regarding Gaza’s future has demonstrated inconsistency. In March, Trump asserted that “nobody is expelling any Palestinians” from the territory, yet subsequently in May, he reaffirmed his wish for the US to assume control of the area and “make it a freedom zone,” encouraging inhabitants to depart.
Nevertheless, prior to Netanyahu’s UN address on Friday, Trump declared he would not permit the annexation of the occupied West Bank, dismissing demands from certain far-right Israeli politicians who seek to extend sovereignty over the territory. “It will not transpire,” Trump informed reporters in the Oval Office, further stating: “There has been sufficient. It is time to cease now.”
Netanyahu recently endorsed a contentious plan for the expansion of West Bank settlements this month.