Trump claims peace agreement to end Gaza war is imminent

US President Donald Trump said he was close to an agreement that could end the war in the Gaza Strip and enable the return of Israeli hostages.

Although he did not provide any details, he confirmed that he would meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday to reach a framework peace plan.

The US has already presented a 21-point peace proposal that calls for the return of all hostages, an end to Israeli attacks on Qatar, and new negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians on peaceful coexistence.

The plan has been sent to several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey. The war began on October 7, 2023, with a Hamas attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people.

According to local sources in the Gaza Strip, Israeli retaliation has already claimed the lives of more than 65,000 people, mostly civilians. Currently, around 48 Israeli hostages are being held by Hamas, of whom an estimated 20 are still alive.

(reuters, mja)