‘Netanyahu has no choice… With me, you got to be fine’: Trump on Gaza peace plan

As negotiators converge ahead of talks aimed at ending nearly two years of war in Gaza, US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that “we are close” to finalising a peace deal, adding he intends to push for it in the coming days, Axios reported.

On Friday, before publicly urging Israel to halt its strikes, Trump spoke with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the phone. While speaking to Axios, Trump said his team had warned him that Netanyahu had reservations, but added that during their conversation, Netanyahu agreed to move forward.

  “I said, ‘Bibi, this is your chance for victory.’ He was fine with it,” Trump said. “He’s got to be fine with it. He has no choice. With me, you’ve got to be fine.”

The breakthrough follows months of conflict that began with Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, and comes as both Israel and Hamas edge closer to ending the war. Over the weekend, White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner travelled to Egypt to finalise technical details of a hostage release and discuss a lasting peace deal.

Negotiations begin in Egypt

Negotiators arrived in Cairo on Sunday ahead of talks aimed at ending nearly two years of war in Gaza, with Israel’s leader expressing hope that the hostages still held in captivity would be freed within days.

The diplomatic efforts followed Hamas’s positive response to US President Donald Trump’s roadmap for freeing the captives and managing post-war Gaza.

Netanyahu said on Saturday that he had ordered negotiators in Egypt “to finalise the technical details,” while Cairo confirmed it would also host a Hamas delegation to discuss “the ground conditions and details of the exchange of all Israeli detainees and Palestinian prisoners.”

Egyptian state-linked media had earlier reported that the parties would hold indirect talks on Sunday and Monday.

The US president warned he would “not tolerate delay” from Hamas, urging the group to move quickly towards a deal “or else all bets will be off.”

In a televised statement on Saturday, Netanyahu said “military and diplomatic pressure” is compelling Hamas to agree to release the captives.

“I hope that in the coming days we will be able to bring back all our hostages… during the Sukkot holidays,” Netanyahu said, referring to the Jewish festival beginning Monday and lasting a week.

On Friday night, Hamas announced “its approval for the release of all hostages — living and remains — according to the exchange formula included in President Trump’s proposal.”

Trump hailed the statement as proof the group was “ready for a lasting PEACE,” calling on Israel to stop its bombing.

Netanyahu stressed on Saturday that “Hamas will be disarmed… either diplomatically via Trump’s plan or militarily by us.”

That night, crowds gathered in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, calling for an end to the war and urging Trump to secure a deal.

The talks come two days before the two-year mark of Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which triggered the current conflict.

Strikes continue

Despite Trump’s call for a pause in operations, Israel carried out deadly strikes across Gaza on Saturday.

“The death toll from the ongoing Israeli bombardment since dawn today stands at 57, including 40 in Gaza City alone,” said Mahmud Bassal, a spokesman for the civil defence agency under Hamas authority.

Israeli forces have carried out sweeping air and ground assaults around the city in recent weeks.

Mahmud Al-Ghazi, 39, a resident of Gaza City’s Al-Rimal neighbourhood, said “Israel has actually escalated its attacks” since Trump’s call for a pause, reported AFP.

“Who will stop Israel now? We need the negotiations to move faster to stop this genocide and the ongoing bloodshed,” he added.

The Israeli military said it was still operating in Gaza City and warned residents not to return, saying doing so would be “extremely dangerous.”

No role for Hamas

A Hamas official said Egypt, acting as mediator in the truce talks, would host a conference for Palestinian factions to decide on Gaza’s post-war plans.

In its response to Trump’s plan, Hamas insisted it should have a say in the territory’s future.

Trump’s roadmap stipulates that Hamas and other factions “not have any role in the governance of Gaza,” while calling for a halt to hostilities, release of hostages within 72 hours, a gradual Israeli withdrawal, and Hamas’s disarmament.

Under the proposal, governance of Gaza would be handed to a technocratic body overseen by a post-war transitional authority headed by Trump.

An AFP journalist in Gaza’s Al-Mawasi area reported hearing celebratory cries of “Allahu akbar!” (God is greatest) from tents as news of Hamas’s statement spread.

“The best thing is that President Trump himself announced a ceasefire, and Netanyahu will not be able to escape this time… (Trump) is the only one who can force Israel to comply and stop the war,” said Sami Adas, 50, who lives in a tent in Gaza City with his family.

Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli figures.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 67,074 Palestinians, according to Hamas-run Gaza’s health ministry figures, which the United Nations considers reliable. The data does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but shows more than half the dead are women and children.

With inputs from AFP.

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