 "US President Donald Trump gives a thumbs up as he welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in Washington, DC. File image/Reuters")
US President Donald Trump on Monday denied reports that he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “stop being so f***ing negative” and “take the win” after Hamas partially accepted Washington’s proposal to end the Gaza war.
“No, it’s not true. He’s been very positive. He’s been very positive on the deal,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
Axios had earlier reported that Trump scolded Netanyahu during a tense phone call last week after the Israeli leader dismissed Hamas’s initial response as “nothing to celebrate.” Despite his frustration, Trump has often avoided publicly criticising Netanyahu.
When asked about the peace deal and whether he had red lines for Hamas in talks in Egypt, Trump said a ceasefire could be halted if “certain conditions” aren’t met. “Hamas has been agreeing to things that are very important,” he added, without giving specifics.
He expressed optimism that a ceasefire and hostage release deal would be reached soon, calling Hamas “fine” recently. “I think we’re doing very well. Hamas has been agreeing to things that are very important. They’ve been trying to have a deal with Gaza literally for centuries,” Trump said.
On whether hostages could be released on the second anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 attack, Trump did not give a timeline but said he has been in touch with families, who were “so happy” about the progress. “One said, ‘I can’t breathe,’” he said.
“The people of Israel want this to happen,” Trump added, referring to mass protests demanding a hostage deal and an end to the war, often in defiance of Netanyahu’s stance.