Families of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza urged the Norwegian Nobel Committee to award the Nobel Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump for what they say are his unprecedented contributions to world peace.
In a letter to the committee released Monday, family members said Trump’s determination to achieve peace "made possible what many said was impossible."
They said Trump deserves the prize because of his vow not to rest until every last hostage returns home and because no other leader or organization "has contributed more to peace around the world" in the last year.
The letter states that thanks to Trump’s peace plan that’s being negotiated, "for the first time in months, we are hopeful that our nightmare will finally be over."
Israeli and Hamas officials are holding indirect talks in an Egyptian resort Monday on a US peace plan for Gaza.
The talks in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh will focus on the first stage of a ceasefire, including the partial withdrawal of Israeli forces as well as the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli detention, according to a statement from Hamas.
The latest push for peace comes after Hamas accepted some elements of the US peace plan, a move welcomed by Trump. Israel has said it supported the new US effort. Under the plan, Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages — about 20 believed to be alive — within three days. It would give up power and disarm.
Hamas-led fighters abducted 251 people and killed around 1,200 mostly civilians in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefire or other deals.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said the Palestinian death toll in the war reached 67,160 on Monday.
