U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio updates U.S. President Donald Trump on the Gaza proposal throughout a roundtable on “Antifa,” an anti-fascist motion Trump designated a home “terrorist organization” through govt order on September 22, on the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., Oct. 8, 2025.
Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned on Wednesday {that a} deal to end the war in Gaza was “very close” and that he may journey to Egypt this weekend, as his envoys joined talks in Egypt to attempt to seal a ceasefire and hostage-release settlement.
With Trump’s 20-point plan showing closer than any previous bid to halt the two-year-old battle, delegations upgraded their presence on the oblique talks, launched on Monday within the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Trump provided an upbeat evaluation, saying a deal was nearly executed and that he might journey to the Middle East this weekend, probably leaving as quickly as Saturday, if an settlement is reached. He later clarified that he seemingly would go to Egypt and the journey would most likely be earlier than or simply after hostages are launched.
“I was just given a note by the secretary of state saying that we’re very close to a deal in the Middle East, and they’re going to need me pretty quickly,” Trump mentioned throughout an unrelated White House occasion.
The hand-scrawled observe on White House stationery learn, “You need to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first,” the Associated Press later reported. The White House didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio writes a observe earlier than handing it to President Donald Trump throughout a roundtable assembly on antifa within the State Dining Room on the White House, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Washington.
Evan Vucci | AP
It marked probably the most promising effort but to end the war in Gaza, which had developed right into a regional battle, drawing in international locations similar to Iran, Yemen and Lebanon, and reshaping the Middle East.
Just a day after the second anniversary of Hamas’ assault on Israel that triggered Israel’s devastating assault on Gaza, the group’s negotiators handed over its lists of hostages and Palestinian prisoners to be freed in a swap with Israel.
Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and particular envoy Steve Witkoff and Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, an in depth confidant of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, arrived and commenced participation within the negotiations, Israeli and Palestinian sources mentioned.
Also becoming a member of the discussions was the prime minister of longstanding mediator Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, in accordance to Egyptian sources.
Despite the hopes raised for ending the war, essential particulars are but to be spelled out, together with the timing, a post-war administration for the Gaza Strip and the fate of the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Gaza authorities say greater than 67,000 people have been killed and far of the enclave has been flattened since Israel started its army response to the Hamas cross-border assault on Oct. 7, 2023. Around 1,200 folks had been killed and 251 had been taken hostage again to Gaza, in accordance to Israeli officers, with 20 of the 48 hostages nonetheless held believed to be alive.
Day-after talks deliberate from Paris
In parallel with the Sharm el-Sheikh talks, Arab and different states will meet in Paris on Thursday to talk about Gaza’s post-war transition, with Washington seemingly to be represented, diplomatic sources mentioned.
U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he reads a observe handed to him by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio he mentioned was relating to Middle East peace talks throughout a roundtable dialogue within the State Dining Room of the White House on Oct. 8, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images
Hamas mentioned on Wednesday it had handed over its lists of the hostages it held and the Palestinian prisoners held by Israel that it needed to be exchanged, and was optimistic in regards to the talks to date.
The checklist of Palestinians Hamas needs freed is anticipated to embody a few of the most outstanding prisoners ever jailed by Israel, whose launch had been off limits in earlier ceasefires.
According to a Palestinian supply shut to the talks, the checklist consists of Marwan al-Barghouti, a frontrunner of the Fatah motion, and Ahmed Saadat, head of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Both are serving a number of life sentences for involvement in assaults that killed Israelis.
Hamas says the oblique negotiations had been targeted to date on three points: halting the battle, withdrawing Israeli forces from Gaza and the swap deal.
The group has to date refused to talk about Israel’s demand that Hamas surrender its arms, which the Palestinian supply mentioned Hamas would reject so long as Israeli troops occupy Palestinian land.
Two sources conversant in the talks confirmed that sticking factors included the mechanism for the Israeli withdrawal, with Hamas in search of a transparent timeline linked to the discharge of hostages and ensures of an entire withdrawal by Israeli forces.
Israel dials down its offensive
Within Gaza, Israel has dialled down its army marketing campaign at Trump’s behest, however it has not halted strikes altogether. The Israeli army mentioned its forces had killed a number of militants in Gaza City, Gaza’s predominant city hub, who it mentioned had been on their method to assault Israeli troopers.
Gaza medical authorities reported eight folks killed in Israeli strikes within the final 24 hours, the lowest toll for weeks. Daily dying tolls had been round 10 occasions as excessive over the previous month as Israeli forces advance on Gaza City.
“We hope from God that a ceasefire would take place as soon as possible, because people can’t bear the suffering anymore,” mentioned Jehad al-Shagnobi, whose home was destroyed within the Sabra district of Gaza City.
Another participant within the talks was Turkish spymaster Ibrahim Kalin, Egyptian sources mentioned. This pointed to a rising function for Turkey, a NATO member with shut contacts with Hamas. President Tayyip Erdogan mentioned Trump had asked Turkey to assist persuade Hamas to settle for the deal.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan mentioned on Wednesday that the negotiations had made “a lot of headway.”
Arab international locations say plan should lead to Palestinian state
Trump’s plan requires a global physique led by Trump and together with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to play a job in Gaza’s post-war administration. Arab international locations which again the plan say it should lead to eventual independence for a Palestinian state, which Netanyahu says won’t ever occur.
There is no clear indication who will rule Gaza when the war ends. Netanyahu, Trump, Western and Arab states have dominated out a job for Hamas, which has run Gaza since driving out Palestinian rivals in 2007.
Hamas has mentioned it will relinquish Gaza governance solely to a Palestinian technocrat authorities supervised by the Palestinian Authority and backed by Arab and Muslim international locations. It rejects any function for Blair or international rule of Gaza.
Global outrage has mounted towards Israel’s assault. Multiple rights specialists, students and a U.N. inquiry say it quantities to genocide. Israel calls its actions self-defence after the 2023 Hamas assault.