“In Israel, tens of thousands of people want the release of the hostages and they want this to end. And I think Hamas, all I can say, is that they have behaved well. I hope they continue that way. I think we will have an agreement,” he told reporters in the Oval Office of the White House.

The Republican added that the Palestinian Islamist group “has been agreeing to things that are very important.”

He also said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been “very positive” and is “trying to close the deal.”

Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas began on Monday in Egypt to discuss the terms of Trump's 20-point plan to end the conflict after both sides accepted the US proposal.

White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, are taking part in the talks.

“This is an incredible achievement and this Administration is working very hard to move forward as quickly as possible,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a press conference on Monday.

According to Trump's plan, the first phase – which will focus the negotiations on Egypt – stipulates the release by Hamas of all Israeli hostages, living and dead, that the Islamist group has held since its attack on Israeli territory on October 7, 2023, in exchange for the release by Israel of hundreds of Palestinians.

The Republican president's plan proposes an immediate end to the war, the release of Hamas hostages and the formation of a transitional government for Gaza.

The proposal also includes the demilitarization of the Strip and the possibility of negotiating a Palestinian state in the future, something that the Israeli prime minister has ruled out.