By Chris O. Nwedo
U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli PM
Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt – A potential breakthrough may be emerging in efforts to end the Gaza war, as U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that “we are very close to a deal” following a third day of intensive indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Egypt. According to Palestinian officials, Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators spent more than seven hours meeting with Hamas representatives — joined by members of other Palestinian factions — before holding separate consultations with the Israeli delegation to resolve remaining differences. The discussions centered on the first phase of a U.S.-backed peace plan that would establish a ceasefire, secure the release of all hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and oversee a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from parts of the territory.
At an unrelated event in Washington, Secretary of State Marco Rubio handed President Trump a note reportedly informing him of the progress in Egypt. Moments later, Trump told reporters the message indicated that “we are very close to a deal.” The president abruptly left the event, saying he needed to “focus on the Middle East.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed that Trump is considering a visit to the region as early as Friday. His direct involvement, reminiscent of his first-term peace efforts, appears to be energizing negotiators on all sides.
A senior Palestinian negotiator told reporters that significant progress has been achieved on prisoner-exchange lists and on securing guarantees to prevent renewed hostilities. Hamas has reportedly agreed to release all Israeli hostages, though the return of bodies of deceased captives may be delayed until conditions in Gaza allow. The Sharm el-Sheikh meetings are based on Trump’s 20-point peace framework, which has been described as the most substantial negotiation effort since the war began in October 2023. Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner joined the talks alongside Qatar’s Prime Minister and Turkey’s intelligence chief — signaling the high stakes and broad international coordination behind the process.
Despite optimism, several core issues remain unresolved. Mediators are reportedly working to reconcile competing maps defining the three stages of Israeli troop withdrawals. Hamas demands a full pullback to March 2025 positions, while Israel insists on adhering to the White House version, which leaves roughly 55% of Gaza under Israeli control during the first phase. Sources say a compromise proposal — reducing Israeli control to around 40% and introducing monitored, gradual withdrawals — is now on the table.
Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s closest allies, arrived in Egypt on Wednesday to lead the Israeli delegation. On the Palestinian side, Hamas included representatives of Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) in its team, aiming to maintain unity among armed groups and coordinate the release of hostages held by different factions. The prisoner list Hamas has submitted includes several high-profile Palestinians, notably Marwan Barghouti — widely regarded as a potential successor to Mahmoud Abbas — and Ahmad Saadat, leader of the PFLP. Both are serving long sentences in Israeli prisons.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called the arrival of Trump’s envoys “very encouraging,” saying they came with “a strong message and mandate to end the war.” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan revealed that Trump had personally asked him to persuade Hamas to accept the deal, though Erdoğan added that Israel’s continued strikes on Gaza remain “the greatest obstacle on the path to peace.” According to Israeli media, military operations around Gaza City have been scaled back in recent days at Trump’s request to “stop the bombing” and create space for diplomacy. Gaza’s health ministry reported eight deaths over the last 24 hours — the lowest daily toll in a week.
Since the conflict erupted following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks that killed about 1,200 Israelis and led to 251 hostages being taken, the Gaza health ministry says more than 67,000 people have been killed, including over 20,000 children. Another 460 people, many of them children, have reportedly died from starvation and malnutrition amid a deepening humanitarian crisis.
Israel disputes these figures, but the United Nations and several humanitarian agencies regard the ministry’s data as broadly credible. Prime Minister Netanyahu has denied claims of famine, saying Israel continues to allow food and aid deliveries into Gaza.
The current talks mark the most serious attempt at ending hostilities since the war began two years ago. Observers note that while Trump’s re-engagement has injected momentum, major questions remain — including who will govern Gaza once the guns fall silent, how reconstruction will be funded and monitored, and what form a lasting security arrangement might take.
European leaders have expressed cautious support for the U.S.-led plan but insist that any deal must include guarantees for humanitarian access and a pathway toward a two-state solution. Germany and other EU members are also expected to increase humanitarian assistance once a ceasefire takes effect. For millions in Gaza and Israel, the hope is that the renewed diplomacy will finally lead to a durable peace — not just another fragile truce.