عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
World

Trump Says Gaza Ceasefire 'Would've Never Happened' Without His Team

FILE PHOTO: US President-elect Donald Trump makes remarks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, US January 7, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: US President-elect Donald Trump makes remarks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, US January 7, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo
TT
20
TT

Trump Says Gaza Ceasefire 'Would've Never Happened' Without His Team

FILE PHOTO: US President-elect Donald Trump makes remarks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, US January 7, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: US President-elect Donald Trump makes remarks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, US January 7, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo

US President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday the ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas would have never been reached without pressure from him and his incoming administration.
The agreement, which would exchange Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, awaits approval by Israel's security cabinet before taking effect, after which the terms of a permanent end to the war would be negotiated.
Four days away from being inaugurated for a second term, Trump told the Dan Bongino Show that negotiations would have never finalized without pressure from his team, including Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, AFP reported.
"If we weren't involved in this deal, the deal would've never happened," Trump said.
"We changed the course of it, and we changed it fast, and frankly, it better be done before I take the oath of office," he added.
Israel's security cabinet was set to meet Friday to discuss the terms of the ceasefire, which would go into effect Sunday at the earliest, just before Trump's presidential inauguration on Monday.
Trump also blasted outgoing President Joe Biden for taking credit for the ceasefire agreement, calling him "ungracious" and saying: "He didn't do anything! If I didn't do this, if we didn't get involved, the hostages would never be out."
Biden had proposed a ceasefire agreement last May with terms that mirrored the deal reached this week.
The ceasefire agreement under discussion proposes an initial 42-day ceasefire that would see the release of 33 hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza's population centers.
The second phase of the agreement could bring a "permanent end to the war," Biden said.
In an interview with MSNBC on Thursday, Biden said that he had not had any recent discussions with Trump about the ceasefire negotiations.

Most Viewed

 
World

Ukraine’s Zelenskiy Says There Is Now a Good Chance to End War

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to Ukrainian Muslim service members before sharing an iftar with them, a meal to break their fast at sunset, during the holy month of Ramadan, in a mosque in Kyiv, Ukraine March 13, 2025. (Reuters)
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to Ukrainian Muslim service members before sharing an iftar with them, a meal to break their fast at sunset, during the holy month of Ramadan, in a mosque in Kyiv, Ukraine March 13, 2025. (Reuters)
TT
20
TT

Ukraine’s Zelenskiy Says There Is Now a Good Chance to End War

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to Ukrainian Muslim service members before sharing an iftar with them, a meal to break their fast at sunset, during the holy month of Ramadan, in a mosque in Kyiv, Ukraine March 13, 2025. (Reuters)
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks to Ukrainian Muslim service members before sharing an iftar with them, a meal to break their fast at sunset, during the holy month of Ramadan, in a mosque in Kyiv, Ukraine March 13, 2025. (Reuters)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that he saw a good chance to end the war with Russia after Ukraine accepted a US proposal for a 30-day interim ceasefire and Moscow said it would only agree if certain conditions were met.

"Right now, we have a good chance to end this war quickly and secure peace. We have solid security understandings with our European partners," Zelenskiy said on X.

"We are now close to the first step in ending any war – silence," he said, referring to a truce.

Speaking to reporters, Zelenskiy urged the US and other allies to apply pressure on Moscow, reiterating his belief that Russian President Vladimir Putin will delay reaching a ceasefire as long as possible.

"If there is a strong response from the United States, they will not let them play around. And if there are steps that Russia is not afraid of, they will delay the process," Zelenskiy told media.

He said that the ceasefire along a more than 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) frontline could be controlled with US help via satellites and intelligence. Washington resumed intelligence sharing and military aid after US and Ukrainian officials met in Saudi Arabia this week and Ukraine accepted the ceasefire.

Zelenskiy also said that officials at that meeting discussed the issue of territory, but a difficult dialog would be required to resolve it.

"The issue of territories is the most difficult after the ceasefire," Zelenskiy said at a media briefing.

With the war is in its fourth year, Russian forces control nearly a fifth of Ukrainian territory and they have steadily advanced in the eastern Donetsk region in recent months.

"The ceasefire unblocks the way for the sides to end the war. And the territories ... will be the point that makes it possible to end the war after this issue is resolved," the Ukrainian president said.

Moscow has demanded that Kyiv permanently cede territory claimed by Russia including Crimea and four other regions, a position Ukraine has rejected.

Zelenskiy said he was discussing with Kyiv's allies future security guarantees and also economic support, adding that 100% air defense cover would be required as deterrence in a peace deal.