President Donald Trump has announced that "great progress" is being made toward ending the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, as mediators launch a fresh ceasefire initiative more than 20 months into the conflict.
"I think great progress is being made on Gaza. Gaza is very close," Trump told reporters on Wednesday, citing information from his special envoy, Steve Witkoff. The president connected his optimism about "looming very good news" to the ceasefire agreed upon Tuesday between Israel and Iran, which ended their 12-day confrontation.
BenriNews reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces mounting pressure to end the fighting from various quarters, including opposition politicians, families of hostages held in Gaza, and even members of his ruling coalition. The conflict began following Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023.
New Diplomatic Push
Qatar announced Tuesday it would spearhead a new push for a ceasefire, with Hamas confirming on Wednesday that talks had intensified. "Our communications with the brother mediators in Egypt and Qatar have not stopped and have intensified in recent hours," said Hamas official Taher al-Nunu.
However, al-Nunu cautioned that the group had not yet received any new proposals to end the war. The Israeli government has declined to comment specifically on the new ceasefire talks, only stating that efforts to return Israeli hostages in Gaza continue both militarily and through negotiations.
Trump's remarks come at a critical juncture in the long-running conflict, potentially signaling a shift in the diplomatic landscape that could lead to meaningful progress after months of stalemate.
The timing of these developments, following the Iran-Israel ceasefire, suggests a possible broader regional de-escalation that could create favorable conditions for resolving the Gaza conflict.
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