Donald Trump has said he may travel to the Middle East at the end of the week as negotiations in Egypt to end the two-year war in Gaza are "very close" to reaching a deal. The US president told reporters on Wednesday evening that talks were going well and there was a good chance of a breakthrough.
During a White House roundtable, Secretary of State Marco Rubio handed Trump a handwritten note saying "very close" and urging him to announce the deal first on Truth Social. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later said Trump was considering travel to the region after a hospital visit on Friday.
US, Qatari and Turkish officials joined the third day of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Senior figures including US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were present, along with the Qatari prime minister and Turkish intelligence chief. Hamas has sought international guarantees that Israel will not resume bombing after it releases hostages.
Key sticking points remain, including Hamas disarmament, Israeli withdrawal, and governance of Gaza. Logistics of a prisoner swap are still being negotiated, with Hamas providing a list of prisoners it wants freed. Right-wing Israeli politicians have pressured Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to release certain individuals, such as Marwan Barghouti.
Far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir prayed at al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on Wednesday, calling for "complete victory" over Hamas. Hamas condemned the visit as a deliberate provocation. Militant groups allied to Hamas, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad, are participating in the talks to present a unified front.
