Hope on the Horizon? Trump’s Envoy Says Israel and Hamas Close to Ceasefire

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — US President Donald Trump on Tuesday met for a second time in two days with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss Gaza as Trump’s Middle East envoy said Israel and Hamas were closing their differences on a ceasefire deal.

Netanyahu departed the White House on Tuesday evening after a little over an hour-long meeting with Trump in the Oval Office, with no press access. The two leaders had also met for several hours during a dinner at the White House on Monday, marking Netanyahu’s third US visit since Trump began his second term on January 20.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu met with Vice President JD Vance and visited the US Capitol. He is scheduled to return to Congress on Wednesday to meet with US Senate leaders.

Following his meeting with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, Netanyahu told reporters that while he didn’t believe Israel’s campaign in the Palestinian enclave was finished, negotiators were actively working on a ceasefire.

\”We still have to finish the job in Gaza, release all our hostages, and eliminate and destroy Hamas’ military and government capabilities,\” Netanyahu stated.

Shortly after Netanyahu’s remarks, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, reported that the issues preventing an agreement between Israel and Hamas had been reduced from four to one. He expressed optimism about reaching a temporary ceasefire agreement this week.

\”We are hopeful that by the end of this week, we’ll have an agreement that will lead to a 60-day ceasefire. Ten live hostages will be released, along with nine deceased,\” Witkoff told reporters at a Trump Cabinet meeting.

According to Axios, citing a source familiar with the details, a delegation from Qatar, which has been hosting indirect talks between Israeli negotiators and Hamas, met with senior White House officials for several hours before Netanyahu’s arrival on Tuesday.

The White House did not immediately comment on the report.

The Gaza conflict erupted when Hamas attacked southern Israel in October 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. About 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with 20 believed to be alive.

Israel’s retaliatory campaign in Gaza has reportedly killed over 57,000 Palestinians, according to the enclave’s health ministry. The ongoing conflict has displaced most of Gaza’s population, and nearly half a million people face the risk of famine within months, based on UN estimates.

Trump has consistently supported Netanyahu, even intervening in Israeli domestic politics by criticizing prosecutors over a corruption trial against the Israeli leader. Netanyahu faces charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, which he denies.

In his remarks to reporters at the US Congress, Netanyahu praised Trump, asserting that there has never been closer coordination between the US and Israel in his country’s history.