President Donald Trump is urging Israel to take steps toward ending the ongoing conflict in Gaza, proposing a hostage deal aimed at furthering the Abraham Accord.
Israeli Minister of Strategic Issues Ron Dahmer is scheduled to meet with officials at the White House on Monday, as pressure mounts to resolve what has been a 20-month war in Gaza.
In a message posted on his social media platform early Sunday, Trump suggested, “Trade in Gaza. Take hostages back!!”
IDF has killed the mastermind behind the October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel
Reports indicate that mediators involved in hostage negotiations are closely linked to Israeli military actions, pushing for a meeting in Egypt. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to agree to this.
Instead, Dahmer was dispatched to Washington to ensure that the U.S. and Israel are on the same page before indirect talks resume.
Israel accuses Hamas of being an obstacle to recovering the remaining 50 hostages still held, including 49 individuals connected to the October 7, 2023, incident.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry reports that two Americans, Itai Chen and Omer Nutra, are believed to have been killed during the attacks in October 2023.
Netanyahu has expressed doubts about the fate of several other hostages.
Fears in Gaza: Hamas reportedly offers bounties for killing locals and aid workers
On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated that Israel is committed to finalizing a hostage contract and achieving a ceasefire in Gaza.
He noted that Jerusalem had accepted a recent proposal by special envoy Steve Witkov but rejected it because it did not include a permanent ceasefire or a plan to withdraw Israeli forces from Gaza.
Witkov is expected to engage in further negotiations and travel to Cairo in the coming days.
Bringing an end to military operations in Gaza would represent a significant step for Trump’s ambition to expand his peace initiatives through the Abraham Accord.
Saar emphasized the importance of the moment, saying, “We sacrificed soldiers and civilians for a new reality in the Middle East.”
On the horizon: Israel is keen on expanding peace agreements to include nations such as Syria and Lebanon.
Trump has yet to specify which nations might pursue diplomatic ties with Israel, though countries like Saudi Arabia have made it clear that normalization remains off the table while the Palestinian situation endures amidst the Israeli-Hamas conflict.
In an interview, Trump noted, “We have some really great countries out there right now. Iran was the main issue, so I think we’re going to start loading them,” speaking to Maria Bartiromo about future diplomatic efforts.
