Trump-Gaza newest: US president contemplating Middle East journey subsequent week as peace talks with Hamas ‘going well’
President Donald Trump he may travel to the Middle East this weekend as his negotiators seek to seal a Gaza hostages-for-ceasefire deal.
US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Trump’s former advisor Jared Kushner arrived in Egypt on Wednesday, as officials indicated that progress is being made in Gaza peace talks.
Trump said he could see “peace for the Middle East sometime toward the end of the week,” as he affirmed “there’s a very good chance negotiations are going along very well.”
Hamas and Israel on Wednesday exchanged lists of prisoners and hostages to be released as part of a potential agreement, according to senior Hamas official Taher Al-Nounou.
He expressed optimism about reaching a deal, saying that the group had were positive about a ceasefire as discussions continued in Sharm el-Sheikh.
A senior US official told Axios that Witkoff and Kushner would not leave the discussions until a deal had been struck that would secure the release of hostages captured by Hamas in the October 7 attacks.
Trump suggests ‘peace for the Middle East’ by end of the week
President Donald Trump has given an update about the potential peace deal between Israel and Hamas.
“I was just dealing with people from the Middle East, our people and other people on the potential peace deal for the Middle East, peace for the Middle East sometime toward the end of the week, phrase, and we hope it’s going to come true, but it’s very close, and they’re doing very well.
“We have a great team over there, great negotiators, and they’re, unfortunately, great negotiators on the other side also, but it’s something I think that will happen. Got a good chance of happening. I may go there sometime toward the end of the week, maybe on Sunday, actually, and we’ll see.”
“But there’s a very good chance negotiations are going along very well. We’re dealing with Hamas and many of the countries, as you know, we have Muslim all of the Muslim countries are included. All of the Arab countries are included, very rich countries, and some that are not so rich, but just about everybody is included.
“It’s never happened before. Nothing like that’s happened before. In our final negotiation, as you know, is with Hamas. Hamas, and it seems to be going well. So, we’ll let you know if that’s the case, we’ll be leaving, probably, on Sunday, maybe Saturday, maybe a little, a little later than Saturday evening, but that seems to be our schedule.”
Meloni says she was reported to ICC for alleged complicity in genocide
Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni has revealed that she has been reported to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged complicity in genocide in connection with Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
Two of Ms Meloni’s ministers have also been reported to the ICC, she revealed on Tuesday.
Speaking with state television broadcaster RAI, Ms Meloni said defence minister Guido Crosetto and foreign minister Antonio Tajani had been denounced, and “I think” also Roberto Cingolani, the head of defence group Leonardo.
“I don’t believe there is another case like this in the world or in history,” Ms Meloni said.
Italy PM
Negotiations focused on three issues
Hamas says the indirect negotiations are focused so far on just three issues.
These include halting the conflict, withdrawing Israeli forces from Gaza and the swap deal.
The group has so far refused to discuss one of the biggest sticking points: Israel’s demand that Hamas give up its weapons, which the Palestinian source said Hamas would reject as long as Israeli troops occupy Palestinian land.
Hamas seeks release of highest profile prisoners held in Israel
Hamas, the militant group that precipitated the war by attacking Israeli territory two years ago, said it had handed over its lists of hostages and Palestinian prisoners to be exchanged in a swap, and was optimistic about the talks so far.
The list of Palestinians Hamas wants freed is expected to include some of the most prominent prisoners ever jailed by Israel, whose release had been off limits in previous ceasefires.
According to a Palestinian source close to the talks, the list includes Marwan al-Barghouti, a leader of the Fatah movement, and Ahmed Saadat, head of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
Both are serving multiple life sentences for attacks that killed Israelis.
Israel dials down attacks – but completely
Within Gaza, Israel has dialled down its military campaign at Trump’s behest, though it has not halted strikes altogether.
Gaza medical authorities reported eight people killed in Israeli strikes in the last 24 hours, the lowest toll for weeks.
Daily death tolls had been around 10 times as high over the past month as Israeli forces pressed one of their biggest campaigns of the war, dynamiting neighbourhoods as they advance in an all-out assault on Gaza City.
“We hope from God that a ceasefire would take place as soon as possible, because people can’t bear the suffering anymore,” said Jehad al-Shagnobi, whose house was destroyed in the Sabra district of Gaza City.
“The suffering is great, people can’t breathe anymore. We hope from God that the negotiations take place today and are successful.”
Witkoff and Kushner arrive in Sharm el-Sheikh
Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, arrived in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to participate in the ongoing ceasefire and hostage-deal negotiations on Wednesday.
They will be joined by Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the Red Sea resort to negotiate the plan proposed by Mr Trump last week that aims to bring about an end to Israel’s two-year-long war in Gaza.
They will also be joined by Hamas’s chief negotiator, Khalil Al-Khayya.
Talks making ‘a lot of headway’ Turkey says
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday that negotiations to stop the war in Gaza had made “a lot of headway”.
Fidan added that a ceasefire would be declared if they reached a positive outcome.
The minister added that the talks in Egypt, in which Ankara is taking part, are focused on securing a ceasefire, exchanging hostages and prisoners, allowing more aid and coordinating a timetable for a withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Qatar demands ‘written international guarantees’ from Israel
Qatar has demanded “strong, written international guarantees” to ensure Israel carries out its obligations under the proposed ceasefire agreement to end Israel’s two-year-long offensive in Gaza.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari told Al-Arabiya that Qatar wants to ensure that what is currently being negotiated in Egypt will lead to Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, the entry of more aid, and a permanent end to the war.
He said that the parties have agreed on 20 principles but “the devil is in the details, as they say in English”.
Mr Ansari told reporters, “I have no doubt that this round of negotiations is a process in which all parties are strongly committed to reaching a consensus, but there are many details to consider.”
The statement comes ahead of Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed Abdulrahman Al Thani’s visit to Egypt today, where he will join the indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
Source: independent.co.uk
