Trump and IDF chief signal possible Gaza ceasefire within days
US President Donald Trump has told reporters he believes "there's a chance" for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip "this week or next week", as an Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) chief announces conditions have been created to advance a deal.
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Mr Trump has affirmed "there's a very good chance" a ceasefire for the Israel-Palestine war agreement could be reached this week or next.
The news comes as Eyal Zamir, chief of staff of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), told Israeli media that "conditions were created to advance a deal" to bring about an end to fighting in the coastal territory, and the release of hostages.
This was done, Mr Zamir said, by the IDF's fighting in Gaza.
In a televised address, he said: "We have achieved many significant results, we have caused great damage to the governance and military capabilities of Hamas.
"Thanks to the operational power that we have demonstrated, the conditions have been created to advance a deal to release the hostages."
On Wednesday, Mr Trump told reporters: "I will tell you we're getting very close to a deal. I don't know if it's secret or not secret, but doesn't matter to me.
"We want to have a ceasefire, we want to have peace, we want to get the hostages back, and I think we're close to doing it."
Read more: Gaza ceasefire talks underway in Qatar as Netanyahu readies to meet Trump in Washington
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed the sentiments in an interview which aired earlier Wednesday.
He said he believed there is a "good chance" that a 60-day ceasefire will be reached with the terrorist network.
"We are talking about a 60-day ceasefire in which half of the live hostages and half of the deceased hostages would be returned to Israel by these Hamas monsters," he said following a Tuesday evening meeting with Trump. "I think we're getting closer to a deal. I think there's a good chance that we'll have it."
The comments follow a statement on Tuesday by US Special Envoy for Peace Missions Steve Witkoff, who expressed hope for a 60-day ceasefire agreement.
"We are hopeful that by the end of this week, we will have an agreement that will bring us into a 60-day ceasefire," Mr Witkoff said following progress in proximity talks.
Ahead of the high-level meetings this week, Mr Trump was expected to pressure Mr Netanyahu to secure a deal to end Israel’s war in Gaza and return all 50 hostages.
In his sitdown with Bartiromo, the Israeli leader said, of the hostages, there were "20 alive left and 30 deceased."
"I'm committed to getting all of them out and getting Hamas out of the picture," he added
According to Hamas leader Taher Al-Nono in a statement to Al-Jazeera on Wednesday, Hamas has agreed to release 10 hostages to ensure the continued flow of aid and stop the fighting, but he did not specify if this would include alive and deceased hostages.
"The current round of negotiations faces significant challenges, and the movement's position is firm regarding the basic requirements for any agreement with the occupation, foremost among them the complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and a comprehensive cessation of aggression," the statement read.
"We emphasise the importance of international guarantees, and the United States of America holds the real keys to pressure 'Israel' to end the war if it has the political will."
The exact holdups in negotiations remain unclear, though disagreements over Israel’s continued military presence in the Gaza Strip and a day-after plan for the Palestinians have long plagued the talks.