President Donald Trump says a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could potentially be reached within the next week, as U.S. mediation efforts intensify.
President Donald Trump said on Friday that a ceasefire agreement to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza could potentially be achieved “within the next week.”
Speaking to reporters during an Oval Office event marking a Congo-Rwanda accord, Trump said he had spoken with people involved in the mediation efforts.
“I think it’s close, I just spoke with some of the people involved, and it’s a terrible situation that’s going on in Gaza,” Trump said. “We think within the next week, we’re going to get a cease-fire.”
The Trump administration has been working to secure a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas, who have been in conflict since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a large-scale attack on southern Israel, prompting Israeli retaliatory operations in Gaza.
On May 31, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, urged Hamas to accept a proposed framework as the basis for proximity talks. He said the deal could pave the way for a 60-day pause in fighting and the release of hostages.
“That is the only way we can close a 60-day ceasefire deal in the coming days in which half of the living hostages and half of those who are deceased will come home to their families and in which we can have at the proximity talks substantive negotiations in good faith to try to reach a permanent ceasefire,” Witkoff said in a statement.
The proposal would see Hamas release 10 living Israeli hostages and the remains of 18 deceased hostages. In return, Israel would release 125 prisoners serving life sentences and 1,111 Palestinian detainees arrested after the October 7 attack.
Israel has approved the U.S. proposal. Hamas, however, responded with a counterproposal seeking a permanent ceasefire, a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and unimpeded humanitarian aid access. The group said it would release 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 more in exchange for “an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners.”
Witkoff called Hamas’s response “totally unacceptable” and said it “only takes us backward.”
The proposed deal follows a previous six-week truce that ended in March. Since then, Israel has resumed airstrikes against Hamas targets in Gaza and tightened restrictions on aid deliveries, accusing Hamas of stealing supplies.
Iran has warned it will shift to a “fully offensive” military posture if efforts to reach a permanent peace deal with the U.S. fail, se...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 18th of August, covering the latest developments....
At least two people were killed, including the alleged shooter, and a number were injured in a shooting at a high school in the southern Phili...
At least 11 people were killed in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday, among the deadliest since a June ceasefire. Meanwhile, Qatar denied holding Iranian pilots. It said it had found the remains of one pilot after an airspace violation and had contacted Iran to coordinate a handover.
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington is not seeking an extension of its memorandum of understanding with Iran, claiming the U.S. already controls the Strait of Hormuz through its naval blockade.
A wildfire in Croatia driven by strong winds descended on the tourist town of Omis overnight, engulfing houses, forcing about 1,000 people to evacuate to safety and injuring dozens, fire brigade and health officials said on Friday.
South Korea's presidential Blue House said on Monday it was reviewing U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on scaling back joint military drills. It added that it hoped a favourable relationship between Washington and Pyongyang could lead to meaningful talks.
Residents of villages in eastern Indonesia hit by a deadly earthquake that killed at least 54 people were awaiting aid on Monday as rescuers prepared to comb through collapsed buildings in search of people trapped beneath the rubble.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 18th of August, covering the latest developments.
At least two people were killed, including the alleged shooter, and a number were injured in a shooting at a high school in the southern Philippine city of Zamboanga.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is considering a scheme to help local police officers cover the legal and financial risks of making immigration arrests under President Donald Trump’s crackdown.
Russia said its air defences downed 180 drones over the Moscow region overnight, with 620 drones reportedly targeting the area, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
The economic losses from a powerful earthquake that struck Colombia last week are expected to reach 30 trillion pesos ($9.58 billion), Colombia's President Abelardo De La Espriella said on Monday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment