Trump says that there are great advances with an eye to a ceasefire in Gaza
Trump sees himself as a great bearer of peace in the Middle East conflict
US President Donald Trump reported Wednesday that there is “great progress” toward a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, after more than 20 months of conflict.
“I think great progress is being made in Gaza,” Trump told reporters in the Netherlands, noting that US strikes against Iran could have a positive impact on the Middle East.
The US president added that his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, told him that “Gaza is very close” to a solution. The Gaza Civil Defense reported that 35 people were killed by Israeli fire in Gaza, a territory ruled by Hamas, an organization considered a terrorist organization by the EU.
The Israeli army reported on Wednesday that seven soldiers were killed on Tuesday in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, in one of the deadliest attacks against Israeli troops since the start of the conflict.
Hamas confirms talks
Qatar, a key mediator in the conflict, announced on Tuesday that it would launch a new initiative to achieve a ceasefire, and Hamas declared on Wednesday that the talks had “intensified.”
“Our contacts with the Egyptian and Qatari mediator brothers never stopped, and they have intensified in recent hours,” said Taher al-Nunu, a senior Hamas official. However, the leader reported that they have not yet received any new proposals for a ceasefire.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing increasing pressure from the opposition, relatives of hostages held in Gaza, and even members of his coalition to end the war in Gaza, which erupted after Hamas's unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The Hamas assault resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official data. In their offensive, the Islamist militants kidnapped 251 hostages, of whom 49 remain held in Gaza, a figure that includes people the Israeli military estimates died in captivity.
More than 56,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died in the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, according to data from the Palestinian territory's Health Ministry, which the UN considers reliable.