Trump hopeful Gaza ceasefire deal can be 'straighten out' within a week

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he hopes the ongoing talks for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will be resolved soon, adding that the issue could be “straightened out” within a week. Speaking to reporters, he said, “We are talking and hopefully we’re going to get that straightened out over the next week.”

The United States has backed a plan for a 60-day ceasefire that would involve the gradual release of hostages, a pullback of Israeli troops from parts of Gaza, and further negotiations aimed at fully ending the conflict.

Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, also expressed optimism about the talks. Witkoff told reporters in Teterboro, New Jersey, that he plans to meet senior officials from Qatar during the FIFA Club World Cup final.

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However, negotiations have been moving slowly due to disagreements between Israel and Hamas, particularly over how many Israeli forces should withdraw from Gaza.

An Israeli official said discussions are continuing but blamed Hamas for being “stubborn” and unwilling to accept terms that could lead to a deal. Meanwhile, Hamas has accused Israel of making unreasonable demands.

According to Reuters, Hamas has rejected Israeli proposals that would keep around 40% of Gaza under Israeli control, including the southern city of Rafah and some areas in the north and east. Hamas wants Israel to return to the positions set under a previous ceasefire agreement before fighting escalated in March.

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Hamas insists it will only release the remaining hostages if there’s a firm agreement to end the war. Israel, on the other hand, says fighting will not stop until all hostages are freed and Hamas is dismantled both as a military force and as a governing authority in Gaza.

The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages into Gaza. Of those hostages, about 50 remain in captivity, with at least 20 believed to still be alive.

Since then, Israeli military operations have killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in Gaza. The fighting has displaced nearly all of Gaza’s population of over 2 million people, creating a severe humanitarian crisis.