US President Donald Trump said on Friday he believes it is possible that a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hamas militants will be reached within a week.
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he believes a ceasefire is close.
He said he had been just been talking to some of the people involved in trying to reach a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas in the Palestinian enclave.
Residents conduct search and rescue operations after an Israeli attack hits the al-Samer neighbourhood in Gaza City. (Picture: Dawoud Abo Alkas/Anadolu via Getty Images)“I think it’s close. I just spoke to some of the people involved,” Trump said. “We think within the next week we’re going to get a ceasefire.”
He did not say who he has been talking to, but he has told reporters he was in near-daily contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the Israel-Iran conflict.
Hamas has said it is willing to free remaining hostages in Gaza under any deal to end the war, while Israel says it can only end if Hamas is disarmed and dismantled. Hamas refuses to lay down its arms.
The war in Gaza was triggered when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Gaza’s health ministry says Israel’s subsequent military assault has killed over 56,000 Palestinians.
Donald Trump shakes hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in 2019. (Picture: Kona/Reuters)The assault has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced Gaza’s entire population and prompted accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the International Criminal Court, which Israel denies.
Interest in resolving the Gaza conflict has picked up steam in the wake of the US and Israeli bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities. A ceasefire to the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict went into effect early this week.
Trump’s surprise prediction of a possible ceasefire deal in coming days came at a time when there have been few signs that the warring parties were ready to restart serious negotiations or budge from entrenched positions.
Netanyahu said on Thursday the outcome of Israel’s war with Iran presented opportunities for peace that his country must not waste.
“This victory presents an opportunity for a dramatic widening of peace agreements. We are working on this with enthusiasm,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
Meanwhile, at the same press conference, Trump said he will also “get the conflict solved with North Korea.”
“I’ve had a good relationship with Kim Jong Un and get along with him, really great. So we’ll see what happens,” Trump said.
“Somebody’s saying there’s a potential conflict, I think we’ll work it out. If there is, it wouldn’t involve us.”
With Reuters
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