U.S. President Donald Trump expressed renewed optimism Monday about the chances of brokering a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maneuvered to delay final decisions.
Speaking at a news conference with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump said: “We’re making good progress, and I think soon there’ll be something to talk about,” referencing negotiations underway in Doha. He added that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other top officials were “working very hard on Gaza.”
According to sources familiar with the talks, mediators are focused on resolving the Israeli withdrawal maps—widely seen as the key stumbling block in reaching an agreement. “Mediators are working on innovative mechanisms to help close the remaining gaps and maintain momentum,” one source told AFP.
The Saudi outlet Al-Hadath reported that “mediators are discussing the new maps with the Israeli delegation.” Israeli officials recently submitted updated withdrawal plans for Rafah, prompting Egypt to dispatch a senior delegation to Doha.
Although described in some outlets as a "renewed" round of talks, sources emphasized the negotiations never truly stopped. “This is a continuous, intensive process,” one Israeli official said. “We're in the middle of a marathon.”
Meanwhile, American sources involved in the talks told Israeli hostage families that Netanyahu had persuaded Trump to give him another week before making a final decision—allowing him to approach the end of Israel’s summer Knesset session before committing to a deal.
One official familiar with the U.S. side said that “Trump is growing tired of the Gaza war, but Netanyahu managed to buy time.” It is unclear what Netanyahu offered in return, but the clearest signal is the delayed arrival of Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff in Doha.
Witkoff, who has played a central role in the hostage negotiations, has not yet joined the current talks. Sources said he remains deeply committed to the issue and has expressed frustration over the lack of movement. “He isn’t sleeping at night because of it,” one American official said. “He’s 100% in, and it’s painful for him to see each day pass without progress.”
According to these sources, the Trump administration believes the best path forward involves Netanyahu fully endorsing the deal first—at which point the U.S. would intervene decisively. For now, however, Netanyahu has asked for more time.
Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, one of Netanyahu’s closest allies, said Monday that the government remains fully committed to returning the hostages.
“We want to bring all the hostages home. It’s part of the Israeli ethos,” Dermer said. “Good intentions aren’t enough. What matters is whether we’re capable of doing it or not. We have excellent intelligence on our enemies—better than the intelligence they have on us.”
Dermer criticized leaks from within the negotiation teams, warning that Hamas monitors the Israeli media. “Anyone involved in the negotiations who leaks information—it costs lives,” he said. “That’s why I don’t like discussing where we stand in the talks. Everything I say will be exploited.”
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Asked about recent polling that suggests a majority of Israelis would support a deal to end the war and free the hostages, Dermer pushed back.
“Everyone in Israel wants to end the war, but the question is whether we end it with a victory for Israel or a victory for Hamas,” he said. “When you dig deeper and ask people if Hamas remains in power, if there are no Israeli forces in Gaza, and if Hamas is allowed to rebuild and rearm—then yes, they could do October 7 all over again.
“But I have one advantage,” Dermer added. “I’m not an elected official. Polls go both ways.”
He reaffirmed Israel’s war aims: to destroy Hamas’ military capabilities, remove it from power in Gaza, and return all hostages.