U.S. President Donald Trump stated that reaching a peace agreement in the Gaza Strip is imminent, indicating that he is striving "with all effort" to finalize the agreement in the coming days, in a statement made to Axios on Saturday.
Trump added, while speaking about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: "I told him: 'Bibi, this is your chance for victory. He should be satisfied; he has no other option. As for me, I must be satisfied too.'
Peace negotiations are nearing
This statement comes after a notable escalation in mediation efforts, where announced diplomatic moves and others behind the scenes led by Trump have narrowed the gap between Israel and Hamas, paving the way to end the ongoing Israeli genocide in the sector for nearly two years, which erupted following the attack on October 7, 2023.
Trump's envoys, his advisor Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, traveled to Cairo on Friday to finalize the details of a deal that includes the release of hostages and to discuss a long-term ceasefire agreement.
Field shift… and conditional calm
According to a statement from the Israeli occupation army, a shift to a "defensive position" inside Gaza began on Saturday morning, with airstrikes suspended, which the statement described as exceeding the limits of "defending the forces." This change came after Trump's public call on Friday for a halt to attacks and the start of direct negotiations with Hamas.
Despite this, Israeli bombardment continued in some areas of the sector, resulting in the deaths of 67 Palestinians, most of whom were women and children, according to data from the Gaza Ministry of Health.
In contrast, the office of the Israeli Prime Minister announced that Netanyahu decided to halt military operations in preparation for the implementation of the first phase of Trump's plan, which includes the immediate release of all hostages held by Palestinian factions.
Sharm El Sheikh hosts negotiations
For its part, Egyptian authorities confirmed that indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel will begin next Monday in Sharm El Sheikh, under Egyptian and American sponsorship, to discuss the mechanisms for implementing the agreement, primarily the prisoner exchange file and the Israeli withdrawal map.
In a post on the "Truth Social" platform, Trump welcomed Israel's decision to "temporarily halt bombardment," considering it "an opportunity to finalize the hostage deal and reach a lasting peace agreement." He also urged Hamas to act quickly, warning that "any delay in implementing the agreement will lead to its cancellation."
Trump said: "I will not tolerate any delay, or any outcome that makes Gaza a threat again. Let's get this done quickly, and everyone will be treated fairly."
Decisive call with Netanyahu
Trump revealed that he spoke with Netanyahu on Friday before his public call to halt attacks. Despite warnings from some of his advisors about potential reservations from the Israeli side, Trump stated that Netanyahu agreed during the call to move forward with the plan.
He added that his plan received broad international support, noting that "all the countries of the world" endorsed the initiative. He pointed out that "Hamas has come a long way and wants to implement the plan," affirming: "Now we need to finish it."
Erdogan's role… and regional moves
Trump indicated that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan played a prominent role in convincing Hamas to respond to the initiative, describing him as "a tough man" but "a wonderful friend" who was "very helpful." He said he addressed Erdogan, saying: "I have done a lot for you, and now I need you to get this done."
According to informed American sources, the call between Trump and Erdogan took place on Friday, before Hamas announced its response to the American initiative.
Goal of restoring international support for Israel
In his talk with Axios, Trump noted that the war in Gaza has contributed to isolating Israel internationally, emphasizing that one of his goals in ending the conflict is to rebuild Israel's international standing. He said: "Bibi (Netanyahu) has gone too far, and Israel has lost a lot of international support. Now I will restore all this support."
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Trump considers reaching a ceasefire agreement a "victory" for Netanyahu... and Egypt hosts crucial talks.