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Donald Trump has said “very positive discussions” have taken place with Hamas and several countries to secure the release of hostages and end the war in Gaza.
US President President Donald Trump speaks with reporters (Photo: AP)
Donald Trump on Monday said some “positive discussions” have been held with Hamas and other countries to release the hostages and end the war in Gaza.
The US President also said that the first phase of the hostage release is expected to be completed this week.
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“There have been very positive discussions with Hamas, and Countries from all over the World (Arab, Muslim, and everyone else) this weekend, to release the Hostages, end the War in Gaza but, more importantly, finally have long sought PEACE in the Middle East,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
“I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST,” he added.
On Sunday, Hamas had called for a swift start to a hostage-prisoner exchange with Israel, as negotiators from both sides headed to Egypt for crucial talks aimed at ending the nearly two-year war in Gaza.
The diplomatic push follows Hamas’s positive response to Donald Trump’s roadmap for an end to the fighting and the release of captives in Gaza in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
Foreign ministers from several countries, including Egypt, told reporters that the talks at the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh were a “real opportunity” to achieve a sustainable ceasefire, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed hope that the hostages could be released within days.
A senior Hamas official told AFP that the Palestinian militant group “is very keen to reach an agreement to end the war and immediately begin the prisoner exchange process in accordance with the field conditions”.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday urged Israel to stop bombing Gaza ahead of the discussions in Egypt.
“You can’t release hostages in the middle of strikes, so the strikes will have to stop,” Rubio told CBS.
“There can’t be a war going on in the middle of it,” he said.
Militants seized 251 hostages during their October 7 attack, 47 of whom are still in Gaza. Of those, the Israeli military says 25 are dead.
According to Trump’s plan, in return for the hostages, Israel is expected to release 250 Palestinian prisoners with life sentences and more than 1,700 detainees from the Gaza Strip who were arrested during the war.
ALSO READ | Trump Warns Hamas Of ‘Complete Obliteration’ If It Insists On Staying In Power In Gaza
About the Author
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
October 06, 2025, 06:48 IST
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