 "Trump, Netanyahu meet again over Gaza truce; 3 of 4 sticking issues resolved, says Witkoff")
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump met once again on Tuesday night, making it the second time the two leaders interacted face-to-face in a week, suggesting the renewed optimism in negotiating the Gaza ceasefire deal.
According to a report by Axios, Netanyahu and Trump held a 90-minute-long meeting to discuss efforts to reach a truce deal with Hamas. The duo were reportedly joined by Vice President JD Vance.
The report says that the US and Israel have discussed and resolved a number of sticking issues that were hampering negotiations with Hamas. At the same time, a delegation from Qatar , the key mediator in the ceasefire talks, met with White House officials ahead of the Trump-Netanyahu meeting on Monday.
3/4 issues resolved
US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff has said Israel and Hamas have reached consensus on three out of four key issues, giving hope for early solutions.
“Hopefully we will reach an agreement by the end of the week,” Witkoff said after the meeting between Trump and Netanyahu.
The remaining point of contention centres on the Israel Defense Forces’ withdrawal from Gaza. A source familiar with the talks told Axios that negotiators on Monday and Tuesday discussed maps outlining potential redeployments.
Hamas is demanding that the IDF pull back to the positions it held before the collapse of the last ceasefire in March, a condition Israel has so far refused to accept.
Another issue that has been settled is related to aid distribution in Gaza. The parties agreed that humanitarian aid in areas of Gaza vacated by the IDF will be delivered by the UN or other international organisations unaffiliated with either Israel or Hamas.
What are the terms of the deal?
Speaking at a cabinet meeting earlier on Tuesday, Witkoff outlined the terms of a proposed deal aimed at securing a 60-day ceasefire. The agreement, he said, would include the release of Israeli hostages .
“Ten live hostages will be released, nine deceased will be released. We’re meeting at the president’s direction with all the hostage families to let them know, and we think that this will lead to a lasting peace,” he said.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsMeanwhile, Netanyahu has said, “We accepted a proposal that came from the mediators. It’s a good proposal. It matches Steve Witkoff’s original idea and we think that we’ve gotten closer to it, and I hope we can cross the line.”
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