Trump promotes deal including end of war with Hamas!

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Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, hand over four Israeli hostages to the Red Cross in Palestine Square, in Gaza City Khalil Kahlout/Flash90

Talks are being held in Cairo about a deal between Egyptian, American, and Hamas officials – but an Israeli source said Israel has no intention to send a delegation

Talks were held in Cairo on Wednesday between senior Egyptian officials, US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, US mediator Bishara Bahbah, and senior Hamas officials. However, an Israeli source told i24NEWS that Israel has no intention of sending a delegation to the talks.

While US President Donald Trump wants to promote a comprehensive deal that would include ending the war with Hamas, Israeli leaders say that for now the discussions are focused on the Witkoff framework, which calls for the release of 10 hostages in exchange for 60 days of ceasefire, during which an end to the war would be discussed and each side would present its conditions. "At the moment, Hamas is opposed to the Witkoff framework, so reaching agreements on ending the war seems like a much greater challenge," an Israeli source said.

Trump said at the NATO conference held in the Netherlands earlier that the American strike in Iran would help with the release of the hostages held in the Gaza Strip, a sentiment agreed upon by a source who spoke with i24NEWS. "The argument between Trump and Netanyahu on Tuesday about whether to respond or not after the Iranians launched a missile following the ceasefire made Hamas understand that when Trump gives guarantees – they are real."

Regarding the president's statement that "we are close to a deal," the source said that although there has been some progress, the main issue that remains to be resolved, namely regarding the cessation of the war and what will happen on the 60th day of the deal, is not easy to solve.

i24NEWS also learned that, in Israel, there is hope that the dynamic that characterized the deal in January 2025 will happen now as well. "At that time, Yahya Sinwar and Hassan Nasrallah were eliminated, Hezbollah was defeated, and the Syrian army was destroyed. These helped bring Hamas to the table," said the source. "Now, the Iranians have also taken a heavy blow, Mohammad Sinwar was eliminated, and in recent days a senior Revolutionary Guards official, [Mohammed Saeed] Izadi, who was working with Hamas, was killed. There is potential for energy and momentum – we are acting and hope that this will lead to a deal for the return of the hostages."

@i24NEWS