US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he may travel to the Middle East later this week as Israel and Hamas were “very close” to a deal to end the Gaza war.In a dramatic moment, AFP journalists saw US Secretary of State Marco Rubio interrupt an event at the White House and hand Trump an urgent note about the progress of the negotiations in Egypt.”Very close. We need you to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first,” said the note to Trump, whose 20-point plan forms the basis of the talks.Trump said earlier that he was expecting to travel to the region as the talks between Israel and the Palestinian militant group in the resort of Sharm-el-Sheikh were “going along very well”.”I may go there sometime toward the end of the week, maybe on Sunday,” he said, adding that he was “most likely” to turn up in Egypt but would also consider going to war-torn Gaza.”‘Peace for the Middle East,’ that’s a beautiful phrase, and we hope it’s going to come true, but it’s very close.”Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi — who has invited Trump to travel to Egypt if a deal is reached — said signs from the talks were “encouraging”, while Hamas, too, expressed “optimism” over the indirect discussions with its foe Israel.Both warring sides have responded positively to Trump’s plan, which calls for a ceasefire, the release of all the hostages held in Gaza, Hamas’s disarmament and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from the territory.Al-Qahera News, which is close to Egypt’s intelligence services, reported that the evening sessions for Wednesday’s talks had begun.Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff arrived at the talks earlier.- ‘Optimism prevails’ -As night fell in the coastal area of Al-Mawasi in southern Gaza, an AFP contributor described an atmosphere of anticipation, with joyful chants of “Allahu akbar”, meaning God is the greatest, and some celebratory gunfire into the air.”We’re closely following every bit of news about the negotiations and the ceasefire,” said 50-year-old Mohammed Zamlot, who had been displaced from northern Gaza.Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu told AFP from Sharm El-Sheikh that “mediators are making great efforts to remove any obstacles to the implementation of the ceasefire, and a spirit of optimism prevails”.The militant group submitted a list of Palestinian prisoners it wants released from Israeli jails in the first phase of the truce.In exchange, Hamas is set to free the remaining 47 hostages, both alive and dead, who were seized in its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel which sparked the war.Qatar’s Prime Minister and Turkey’s intelligence chief were also expected at the talks on Wednesday. Hamas said it would be joined by delegations from Islamic Jihad — which has also held some of the hostages in Gaza — as well as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.The negotiations were taking place under the shadow of the second anniversary of the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.Militants also took 251 people hostage into Gaza, where 47 remain, including 25 the Israeli military says are dead.Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 67,183 people, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, figures the United Nations considers credible.The data does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but indicates that more than half of the dead are women and children.The territory’s civil defence agency, a rescue force operating under Hamas’s authority, said the bombardment of Gaza had not stopped. An AFP journalist in Israel near the Gaza border reported hearing multiple explosions in the morning.- Protests, prisoners -Global pressure to end the war has escalated, with much of Gaza flattened, a UN-declared famine unfolding and Israeli hostage families still longing for their loved ones’ return.Key to the negotiations will be the names of the Palestinian prisoners Hamas will push for.High-profile inmate Marwan Barghouti — from Hamas’s rival, the Fatah movement — is among those the group wants to see released, according to Egyptian state-linked media. Hamas’s top negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, also said the Islamist group wants “guarantees from President Trump and the sponsor countries that the war will end once and for all”.A Palestinian source close to the Hamas negotiating team said Tuesday’s session included discussions of Israel’s maps for its initial withdrawal.burs-dk/sbk
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he may travel to the Middle East later this week as Israel and Hamas were “very close” to a deal to end the Gaza war.In a dramatic moment, AFP journalists saw US Secretary of State Marco Rubio interrupt an event at the White House and hand Trump an urgent note about the progress of the negotiations in Egypt.”Very close. We need you to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first,” said the note to Trump, whose 20-point plan forms the basis of the talks.Trump said earlier that he was expecting to travel to the region as the talks between Israel and the Palestinian militant group in the resort of Sharm-el-Sheikh were “going along very well”.”I may go there sometime toward the end of the week, maybe on Sunday,” he said, adding that he was “most likely” to turn up in Egypt but would also consider going to war-torn Gaza.”‘Peace for the Middle East,’ that’s a beautiful phrase, and we hope it’s going to come true, but it’s very close.”Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi — who has invited Trump to travel to Egypt if a deal is reached — said signs from the talks were “encouraging”, while Hamas, too, expressed “optimism” over the indirect discussions with its foe Israel.Both warring sides have responded positively to Trump’s plan, which calls for a ceasefire, the release of all the hostages held in Gaza, Hamas’s disarmament and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from the territory.Al-Qahera News, which is close to Egypt’s intelligence services, reported that the evening sessions for Wednesday’s talks had begun.Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff arrived at the talks earlier.- ‘Optimism prevails’ -As night fell in the coastal area of Al-Mawasi in southern Gaza, an AFP contributor described an atmosphere of anticipation, with joyful chants of “Allahu akbar”, meaning God is the greatest, and some celebratory gunfire into the air.”We’re closely following every bit of news about the negotiations and the ceasefire,” said 50-year-old Mohammed Zamlot, who had been displaced from northern Gaza.Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu told AFP from Sharm El-Sheikh that “mediators are making great efforts to remove any obstacles to the implementation of the ceasefire, and a spirit of optimism prevails”.The militant group submitted a list of Palestinian prisoners it wants released from Israeli jails in the first phase of the truce.In exchange, Hamas is set to free the remaining 47 hostages, both alive and dead, who were seized in its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel which sparked the war.Qatar’s Prime Minister and Turkey’s intelligence chief were also expected at the talks on Wednesday. Hamas said it would be joined by delegations from Islamic Jihad — which has also held some of the hostages in Gaza — as well as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.The negotiations were taking place under the shadow of the second anniversary of the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.Militants also took 251 people hostage into Gaza, where 47 remain, including 25 the Israeli military says are dead.Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 67,183 people, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, figures the United Nations considers credible.The data does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but indicates that more than half of the dead are women and children.The territory’s civil defence agency, a rescue force operating under Hamas’s authority, said the bombardment of Gaza had not stopped. An AFP journalist in Israel near the Gaza border reported hearing multiple explosions in the morning.- Protests, prisoners -Global pressure to end the war has escalated, with much of Gaza flattened, a UN-declared famine unfolding and Israeli hostage families still longing for their loved ones’ return.Key to the negotiations will be the names of the Palestinian prisoners Hamas will push for.High-profile inmate Marwan Barghouti — from Hamas’s rival, the Fatah movement — is among those the group wants to see released, according to Egyptian state-linked media. Hamas’s top negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, also said the Islamist group wants “guarantees from President Trump and the sponsor countries that the war will end once and for all”.A Palestinian source close to the Hamas negotiating team said Tuesday’s session included discussions of Israel’s maps for its initial withdrawal.burs-dk/sbk
