US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he may travel to the Middle East later this week, as Egyptian mediators reported “encouraging” progress in negotiations to end the Gaza war.
Speaking at the White House, Trump said the talks in Sharm El-Sheikh, based on his 20-point peace plan, are “going along very well,” and hinted at a possible visit to Egypt — or even Gaza — on Sunday.
“‘Peace for the Middle East’ — that’s a beautiful phrase, and we hope it’s going to come true,” Trump said.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who invited Trump pending a breakthrough, said the talks showed promising signs. Hamas also expressed optimism, saying negotiations were progressing and obstacles to a ceasefire were being addressed.
Trump’s proposal, which both Israel and Hamas have responded to positively, calls for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, Hamas’s disarmament, and a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
On Wednesday evening, talks resumed in Sharm El-Sheikh. Egyptian media showed footage of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and US envoy Steve Witkoff arriving for the negotiations. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin were also expected, along with representatives from Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
In Gaza’s southern Al-Mawasi area, anticipation grew. “We want the war to end as soon as possible,” said Mohammed Zamlot, a displaced resident from the north. Some celebratory gunfire was heard, with chants of “Allahu akbar” filling the night.
Hamas official Taher al-Nunu told AFP that the group submitted a list of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for the 47 remaining Israeli hostages — both living and dead — taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war.
Talks are unfolding amid the second anniversary of that attack, which left 1,219 people dead and 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli figures. Israel’s military campaign in response has since killed at least 67,183 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry — figures the UN deems credible, though not broken down by civilians and combatants.
Despite ongoing talks, Israeli airstrikes continued, with explosions reported near the Gaza border.
Pressure to end the war is mounting amid widespread devastation, a looming famine, and growing international criticism. A recent UN probe accused Israel of genocide, while rights groups have accused Hamas of war crimes. Both sides deny the allegations.
Central to the negotiations is the list of Palestinian prisoners Hamas wants released. Reports suggest high-profile Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti is among them. Imprisoned since 2002, Barghouti is serving a life sentence for murder but remains a popular figure among Palestinians, often compared to Nelson Mandela.
Hamas’s chief negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, said the group seeks “guarantees from President Trump and the sponsor countries that the war will end once and for all.”
A source close to Hamas said the group also reviewed Israeli-proposed maps outlining a withdrawal timetable and prisoner-hostage exchange mechanism.
“Our final negotiation, as you know, is with Hamas, and it seems to be going well,” Trump said.
