Trump: A deal on Gaza is very close as Israel urges Hamas to accept the truce proposal or be eliminated!

US President Donald Trump said on Friday evening that reaching an agreement on Gaza was “very close”.

In a statement to reporters at the White House, Trump added, “They (the factions in Gaza and Israel) are very close to reaching an agreement on Gaza, and we will update you on that today or maybe tomorrow, and there is a chance that it will happen”.

In the same context, Israel urged Hamas on Friday to accept the US proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages held since the October 7, 2023, attack, or it will be eliminated, while US President Donald Trump confirmed that a truce in the devastated Strip was very close.

Israel is facing increasing international pressure over the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, which has been reduced to rubble, with the United Nations saying that what has been allowed in is only a drop in the ocean after a stifling blockade that has lasted more than two months.

Negotiations to end the nearly 20-month-old war have made little progress since Israel resumed operations in March after a short-lived truce.

On Friday evening, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced in a statement that the army was continuing its operations with full force, while simultaneously evacuating local residents from every combat zone.

“Hamas’ criminals must now choose: either accept the contents of the ‘Witkoff Agreement’ for the release of the hostages, or be eliminated,” he added, referring to the truce proposal presented by US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, which Hamas expressed reservations about.

On Friday evening, UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said, “Today, a group of armed individuals attacked warehouses belonging to a field hospital in Deir al Balah, looting large quantities of medical equipment, medicines, and nutritional supplements intended for malnourished children”.

He explained that the aid arrived on Thursday in trucks via the Kerem Shalom crossing.

Israel resumed its attacks on the Gaza Strip in mid-March after a six-week truce, and intensified its military operations on May 17, stating that the goal was to eliminate Hamas and free the hostages still being held in the Strip.

So far, negotiations aimed at ending the nearly 20-month-old war in Gaza have failed to achieve any progress.

The White House announced on Thursday that Israel had agreed to a new US proposal for a ceasefire.

However, Hamas said the proposal “doesn’t respond to any of our people’s demands”.

A source close to Hamas said the movement regrets the lack of guarantees regarding the continuation of negotiations during the truce with the aim of reaching a permanent ceasefire.

Hamas clarified on Friday that it was conducting consultations with Palestinian forces and factions regarding a proposal “sent by Witkov through mediators.

In response, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called on the army to deploy all its forces into the Gaza Strip.

Addressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu via Telegram, he said, “After Hamas once again rejected the proposed agreement, there are no more excuses… The confusion, chaos, and weakness must end… We’ve already missed too many opportunities… The time has come to go in with all our might, without hesitation, to destroy and kill Hamas to the last member”.