US President Donald Trump pleads for progress in ceasefire talks in Gaza, calling for a deal that would halt Israel’s 20-month-long war on the besieged Palestinian territory as the sides appeared to be inching closer to an agreement.
An Israeli official says plans were being made for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to travel to Washington, DC, in the coming weeks, a sign there may be movement on a new deal.
The official declined to discuss the focus of the visit and spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss plans that had not yet been finalised.
“MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, between posts about a Senate vote on his tax and spending cuts bill.
Taking questions from reporters, he said, “We’re working on Gaza and trying to get it taken care of.”
Qatar said on Saturday that Gaza mediators are engaging with Israel and Hamas to build on momentum from this week's ceasefire with Iran and work towards a truce in the Palestinian territory.
Gaza message
Despite an eight-week ceasefire reached just as Trump was taking office earlier this year, attempts since then to bring the sides toward a new agreement have failed.
A top adviser to Netanyahu, Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, was set to travel to Washington this week for talks on a ceasefire.
The Gaza message wasn't the only Middle East-related post by Trump.
On Saturday evening, he doubled down on his criticism of the legal proceedings against Netanyahu, who is on trial for alleged corruption, calling it “a POLITICAL WITCH HUNT, very similar to the Witch Hunt that I was forced to endure.”
In the post on Truth Social, he said the trial interfered with talks on a Gaza ceasefire.
“(Netanyahu) is right now in the process of negotiating a deal with Hamas, which will include getting the hostages back. How is it possible that the prime minister of Israel can be forced to sit in a courtroom all day long over NOTHING,” Trump wrote.
The post echoed similar remarks Trump made last week when he called for the trial to be cancelled.
