Trump says Iran is involved in Gaza hostage negotiations

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday Iran is involved in negotiations aimed at arranging a ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas.

"Gaza right now is in the midst of a massive negotiation between us and Hamas and Israel, and Iran actually is involved, and we'll see what's going to happen with Gaza. We want to get the hostages back," Trump told reporters during an event in the White House State Dining Room.

Trump did not elaborate and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for details of Iran's involvement. Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The United States has proposed a 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Israel said it would abide by the terms but Hamas thus far has rejected the plan.

Under the proposal 28 Israeli hostages - alive and dead - would be released in the first week, in exchange for the release of 1,236 Palestinian prisoners and the remains of 180 dead Palestinians.

The United States and Iran are also separately trying to negotiate a deal on Tehran's nuclear program.

Trump said Monday that new US-Iran talks this week could make clear if a nuclear deal is possible to avoid military action, as Tehran readies a counter-proposal on a potential agreement.

Trump spoke by telephone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose office said the US leader informed that he had made a "reasonable offer" to Iran.

Netanyahu has threatened to strike the nuclear sites of Iran, whose cleric-run government he sees as Israel's existential enemy, but Trump has said he has held him back.