Trump heralds imminent breakthrough: "Good news with Hamas" and pressure to stop the war

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that there is "good news coming" regarding the situation in Gaza, noting that efforts are being made to stop the ongoing fighting.

In a statement to reporters, Trump explained: "We have spoken with Israel, and we want to see if we can stop this whole situation as soon as possible."

According to sources within his administration, Trump is pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt the war and has expressed his displeasure with the ongoing military operations in the Gaza Strip.

Sources revealed that the US administration has opened an indirect channel of communication with Hamas via Palestinian-American businessman Bishara Bahbah, in an attempt to prepare the ground for new negotiations regarding a prisoner exchange and ceasefire.

This step comes within the framework of an initiative led by the United States through its special envoy, Steve Witkoff.

Diplomatic sources confirmed that the US administration has asked Israel to postpone its escalation on the ground and allow expanded humanitarian aid deliveries to civilians in Gaza. This is aimed at creating a favorable environment for resuming talks, despite the ongoing daily Israeli airstrikes on the Strip.

In the same context, Israeli media reports indicated that an Israeli delegation may travel to Cairo on Monday to discuss ways to resume negotiations. However, the Israeli government has not yet issued an official confirmation of this visit.

Meanwhile, Sky News Arabia quoted its sources as saying that President Trump may announce a ceasefire in Gaza in the coming days, indicating that this announcement would be part of a deal that includes the release of a number of Israeli hostages.

In a related development, Al-Ghad TV, which broadcasts from Cairo, reported that the Doha negotiations on Gaza are witnessing rapid progress that could lead to an agreement soon.

According to informed sources quoted by the channel, the anticipated ceasefire agreement could last for sixty days and include the release of ten Israeli hostages and the return of the bodies of sixteen others.

According to the sources, the agreement will include the release of five live captives on the first day, and five more on the 60th day. The bodies of the captives will be handed over according to an agreed-upon timetable, allowing Hamas to determine their burial sites for the duration of the agreement.

Hamas also demanded the release of all Palestinian security prisoners from the Gaza Strip who were arrested by the occupation forces before or after the attack of October 7, 2023.