US President Donald Trump stated on Thursday that “pretty good talks” were underway regarding the Gaza ceasefire but provided little detail during a White House press conference.
The three-phase ceasefire, which began on January 19, has so far resulted in the release of 33 Israeli hostages from Gaza and around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees from Israeli custody.
With the initial six-week phase set to expire in two days, Israel announced it would send negotiators to Cairo to discuss an extension. When asked whether the second phase would materialize, Trump responded, “We’ll see what happens. Nobody really knows, but we’ll see what happens.”
Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of ceasefire violations. The United Nations described the condition of recently released hostages and detainees as distressing, highlighting severe mistreatment.
At the joint press conference, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reiterated his support for a two-state solution, emphasizing it as the only path to lasting peace in the region. He rejected Trump’s controversial proposal for a US takeover of Gaza and the permanent displacement of Palestinians, which has faced global condemnation.
Since Israel’s military offensive on Gaza began in October 2023, over 48,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The offensive was triggered by Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages, as per Israeli reports.
