President Trump announced significant progress towards a Gaza peace deal, indicating he may travel to Egypt this weekend if an agreement is finalized. Officials from the U.S., Israel, and Qatar express cautious optimism that a deal, focusing on hostage exchange, initial Israeli withdrawal, and cessation of hostilities, could be reached this week following high-level negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh. This rapid development signals a potential near-term de-escalation of the conflict, though more complex issues like Hamas disarmament and future governance are slated for later discussions.
President Trump said Wednesday that "we are very close" to a deal to end the war in Gaza and he may travel to Egypt on Saturday or Sunday if one is agreed. The intrigue: After Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave him a note during an event at the White House on Wednesday evening, Trump said: "I was just told we are close to a deal in the Middle East and they will need me soon." State of play: Officials from the U.S., Israel and Qatar are all feeling optimistic that a deal to end the war in Gaza could be reached this week, several sources involved in or briefed on the ongoing talks in Sharm el-Sheikh Egypt tell Axios. Why it matters: The currentissues under debate — such as the terms of Israel's military withdrawal from Gaza and the identities of Palestinian prisoners who will be released — are enormously sensitive. Thus, the fact that officials from several countries involved in the process all believe a deal can be finalized on such a short timeline is fairly remarkable. Driving the news:Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived on Wednesday morning local time to represent the U.S. in the talks. Other participants include negotiating teams from Israel and Hamas, the prime minister of Qatar, and the intelligence chiefs from Turkey and Egypt. The goal is to announce an agreement this week and begin releasing Israeli hostages next week, according to a source familiar with the talks. Trump said he would probably leave the U.S. on Saturday or Sunday if he goes to Egypt. Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi invited Trump earlier on Tuesday. Behind the scenes: Two White House officials said there has been good progress in the talks and said an agreement could be reached within days. A senior Israeli official gave a similar status update: "There is progress. We feel cautious optimism." However, Israeli officials cast doubt on an assessment from Turkey's foreign minister that a ceasefire could be announced as early as Wednesday. The source familiar with the talks said the Qatari mediators believe an agreement can be reached by Friday. Yes, but: Any agreement will focus at this stage on the hostage and prisoner exchange, the initial Israeli withdrawal, and the ending of hostilities in Gaza. Other thorny issues like the process for disarming Hamas and the future governing structure of the enclave will be negotiated separately at a later stage. Friction point: Rubio won't attend a foreign ministers meeting organized by France tomorrow in Paris to discuss the post-war plan for Gaza, three sources with knowledge tell Axios. Israel asked the Trump administration through several channels over the last 24 hours not to attend, claiming the discussions could divert from the Trump plan for ending the war and undermine the negotiations taking place in Egypt, an Israeli official said. Officials from Arab, Muslim and European countries are expected to attend. France outraged Israel by leading the charge for Western countries to recognize a Palestinian state at last month's UN General Assembly. The latest: Rubio said "good progress has been made today" and Trump might travel to the Middle East for a signing "if the timing could work." President Trump stated Wednesday that a deal to end the war in Gaza is "very close," potentially leading to his travel to Egypt this weekend for its finalization. Officials from the U.S., Israel, and Qatar expressed "cautious optimism" that an agreement could be reached this week following high-level negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh. This rapid progression, involving sensitive issues like military withdrawal and prisoner exchanges, is noteworthy. The immediate agreement is expected to focus on a hostage and prisoner exchange, an initial Israeli withdrawal, and a cessation of hostilities in Gaza. More complex, long-term issues such as Hamas disarmament and the enclave's future governance are explicitly slated for separate negotiations at a later stage. This structured approach aims for near-term de-escalation while deferring more contentious topics. A notable geopolitical dynamic involves the U.S. declining to attend a French-organized foreign ministers meeting on Gaza's post-war plan, at Israel's request. This decision, aimed at preventing diversion from the ongoing Trump-led negotiations, underscores the delicate diplomatic environment and the perceived primacy of the current Egyptian talks over broader international consensus-building efforts.
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