U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday night urged all parties involved in negotiations to end the Gaza war “to act quickly,” warning of “bloodshed — something nobody wants.” In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, “I am told that the first phase should be completed this week.”
Following his weekend call for Israel to “stop bombing Gaza,” Trump said that over the weekend there had been “very positive talks with Hamas and with countries from around the world — Arab, Muslim and others — regarding the release of hostages, ending the war in Gaza and, more importantly, finally achieving peace in the Middle East. These talks have been very successful and are moving quickly.”
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Trump is putting pressure on all sides; Donald Trump is on the side of Benjamin Netanyahu and Khalil al-Hayya
(Photo: Brendan Smialowski AFP, Alex Kolomoisky)
Trump added that technical teams would meet in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, “to work on and clarify the final details.” He concluded, “I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to move fast. I will continue to oversee this centuries-old conflict. Time is running out—otherwise, there will be bloodshed.”
Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, are expected to arrive in Egypt later this week, likely on Wednesday. Israel’s Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer is also expected to join as talks progress. The negotiations are being mediated by Egypt and Qatar. Hamas’s delegation, led by the group’s senior official and head negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, arrived in Egypt on Sunday night.
In a text-message interview with CNN on Sunday, Trump warned Hamas that if the militant group insists on remaining in power in Gaza, it will be “destroyed.” Asked to clarify, he replied succinctly: “Total destruction!” He added that he expects to know “soon” whether Hamas is serious about achieving peace.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that 90% of the details of the hostage deal had already been agreed upon, stressing that completing the agreement “cannot take weeks—or even several days.” He added, “We will know very quickly whether Hamas is serious or not by how these technical talks go in terms of the logistics.”
Israel appears closer than ever to recovering all hostages and ending the war, which began on October 7, 2023. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday he hoped to “announce the return of all our hostages by the Sukkot holiday,” he sounded more cautious a day later, telling an interviewer that he “cannot guarantee” Hamas will agree to release them.
Netanyahu: 'Cannot guarantee that Hamas will release the hostages'
(Video: Euronews)
Phase one: Cease-fire, Israeli withdrawal, hostage release within 72 hours
According to the first stage of Trump’s 20-point plan — described by him as likely to be completed this week — once the agreement is signed, fighting will stop, Israel will begin a gradual withdrawal, and all hostages will be released within 72 hours. Under the plan, Israel would withdraw to the “yellow line” shown on a map Trump released Saturday, maintaining a significant presence in the Gaza Strip, including along the Philadelphi Corridor and in Rafah in the south.
The first phase also calls for a large-scale release of Palestinian prisoners and the return of bodies. Hamas members who choose to do so would be granted amnesty or safe passage to host countries. Humanitarian aid would be significantly increased, coordinated by the United Nations, the Red Crescent and other international actors, with efforts to rebuild key infrastructure and clear debris.
Talks opening Monday in Egypt will address remaining disputes over the first phase, including Hamas’s demand to free high-profile prisoners such as Marwan Barghouti. Israel is expected to present a list of 250 life-sentence prisoners — out of 280 currently held — that it is willing to release. Hamas is likely to push hard on this issue, and Israeli officials acknowledge that the room for maneuver is narrow, with some major concessions potentially required. Only 30 of the most notorious prisoners are expected to remain behind bars.
Ahead of the Israeli delegation’s departure, Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister “held an extensive preparatory meeting with the hostages and missing persons team before their trip to Sharm el-Sheikh, where negotiations with the mediators will take place.”