U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that negotiations with Middle Eastern nations over the war in Gaza remain “intense” and will continue until an agreement is reached, with both Israel and Hamas kept informed of the discussions.
Trump met leaders and senior officials from several Muslim-majority states this week, presenting what aides described as a 21-point Middle East peace plan. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said the proposals were aimed at addressing both the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the security concerns of Israel.
“Intense negotiations have been going on for four days, and will continue for as long as necessary in order to get a Successfully Completed Agreement. All of the countries within the region are involved,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He added that Hamas was “very much aware” of the talks, and that Israel had been briefed “at all levels.”
The president had campaigned on promises of swiftly ending the Gaza war. His term began with a two-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, but fighting resumed in March after Israeli strikes killed 400 Palestinians, ending the truce.
Despite renewed bombardments, Trump administration officials suggested this week that a breakthrough was within reach. “These discussions have been inspired and productive,” Trump said, though he offered no further details.
The Gaza war has triggered mounting global outrage. Images of starving children and reports of widespread famine have intensified pressure on Washington to rein in Israel, whose military campaign has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and displaced Gaza’s entire population.
Rights experts, scholars, and a U.N. inquiry have described Israel’s actions as genocide, a charge Israel rejects, insisting its campaign is self-defense following Hamas’s October 2023 attack that killed 1,200 people and saw more than 250 taken hostage.
As the humanitarian toll deepens, Trump’s push for a deal has become a key test of his promise to deliver stability in the Middle East early in his presidency.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
