Trump believes ceasefire 'pretty close', Hamas ready to 'engage positively' on post-war Gaza

US President Donald Trump has said that he thinks a ceasefire to end the war in Gaza is "pretty close", as Hamas signalled it could back a deal that could potentially see it relinquish power.

"We spoke with [Israeli Prime Minister] Bibi Netanyahu today, and we spoke to all the leaders in the Middle East who are great people, and we're getting pretty close to having a deal on Gaza and maybe even peace," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday.

"I think we're close to reaching some sort of agreement. I need to meet with the Israeli side... I believe we can get it done. I hope we can. A lot of people are dying, but we want to get the hostages back."

Trump made the comments after meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been a fierce critic of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza and has likened Netanyahu to Hitler.

US Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said Wednesday that he expected a breakthrough on Gaza talks in the coming days, saying Trump had presented a plan to regional countries.

Washington has given unwavering diplomatic and military support to Israel in its nearly two-year war in Gaza, where more than 65,500 people have been killed, most of them women and children, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

In Washington, Democrat members of Congress signed a letter to Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging the administration to recognise a Palestinian state, after several Western countries did so this week.

The UK and France were among the nations to recognise Palestine, as part of efforts to achieve a two-state solution, which Netanyahu has outright refused, saying it will "never" happen.

Trump has hit out at his Western allies for the move, and joined Netanyahu in claiming that it "rewards Hamas" but has also said he won't allow Israel to annex the West Bank.

Hamas 'ready for a deal'

Senior Hamas sources confirmed that the group will respond positively to proposals being presented as part of ongoing efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.

According to the sources who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, Hamas is also prepared to engage constructively on discussions regarding the future of the Gaza Strip and the "day after" the war.

The coming days may witness a breakthrough regarding a truce in Gaza, potentially serving as a steppingstone toward a complete end to the war, the sources said.

They added that Hamas has "no objection to relinquishing control of the Strip", noting that the group had previously shown significant flexibility on this issue and remains open to any arrangement for governing Gaza, provided there is a clear consensus.

The sources indicated that communications are still ongoing with the Hamas leadership through key mediators and other parties, aiming to reach a comprehensive agreement that ensures an end to the war, the reconstruction of Gaza, the lifting of the blockade, the entry of humanitarian aid, and an agreement on the future governance of the Gaza Strip.

The arrangement would come with American, Arab, Islamic, and international guarantees.

Israeli obstruction as attacks continue

Several Arab countries have called on Hamas to disarm and give up governing Gaza, but as part of a comprehensive deal that would see a permanent end to the war and Palestinian statehood recognised – something the Israeli government has rejected.

Netanyahu insists on continuing the war to "destroy Hamas," although the vast majority of victims are civilians.

In an assault widely seen as an attempt to derail ceasefire negotiations, Israel launched an airstrike on Qatar’s capital Doha earlier this month, targeting Hamas – a surprise move that drew global condemnation and sharp backlash from Arab states.

Netanyahu’s far-right government has announced plans to occupy the Gaza Strip, and a military offensive focused on Gaza City has killed scores of people and forced around 700,000 to flee in recent weeks.

Netanyahu – wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes in Gaza – travelled to New York to take part in the UN General Assembly’s 80th session.

To avoid being arrested, his plane steered clear of most European countries' airspace on its way to New York.

As the indiscriminate war on Gaza continued, at least 13 Palestinians were killed on Friday morning in Israeli strikes and attacks on aid seekers, with the death toll likely to increase.

A medical source said Israeli gunfire killed 10 people waiting for aid in the Netzarim corridor in the central part of the Strip, while three others were reported killed in two separate airstrikes in Gaza City.