US President Donald Trump says Gaza peace deal ‘very close’ as he is handed note in White House

US President Donald Trump was hosting an Antifa roundtable at the White House when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio interrupted, handed him a note and whispered in his ear.

The room, filled with journalists erupted with questions as the US President read the contents of the note.

“I was just given a note by the Secretary of State saying that we’re very close to a deal in the Middle East,” Mr Trump said.

“They’re going to need me pretty quickly, so I will take a couple more questions.”

Mr Trump took a few more questions before swiftly returning to the Oval Office.

The White House has not released an official statement on the note yet, however, reports suggest Mr Trump was asked to approve a Truth Social post which reportedly contains a major update on the deal.

The moment came just minutes after Mr Trump said that he would potentially travel to the Middle East to sign the peace deal, saying peace talks between Israel and Hamas were “going along very well”.

“I may go there sometime toward the end of the week, maybe on Sunday, actually,” Mr Trump told reporters.

“We’ll see, but there is a very good chance. Negotiations are going along very well.”

Later, after receiving the note, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Mr Trump was now considering going to the Middle East on Friday.

Earlier, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi extended an invitation to Mr Trump to attend the signing of the first phase of the Gaza peace plan in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Speaking at an Egyptian Police Academy graduation, al-Sisi said, “It would be truly wonderful if, should an agreement be reached, you could attend its signing.” He expressed hope that the ongoing talks would bring an end to the war and praised Mr Trump’s efforts.

Mr Al-Sisi’s remarks came as US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Middle East adviser Jared Kushner, and senior officials from Washington and Qatar, including the Qatari Prime Minister, joined the third day of negotiations. Mr Witkoff said he would stay in Egypt until a deal was signed.

Hamas has submitted a list of prisoners it wants released in exchange for Israeli hostages, including Marwan Barghouti, a high-profile terrorist serving five life sentences. The group has also demanded the return of the bodies of former leaders Yahya and Muhammad Sinwar.

The Israeli Defense Forces have nearly completed preparations to receive Gaza hostages at Camp Re’im near the Gaza border, according to the Walla news site.

The talks aim to implement a 20-point peace proposal presented by Mr Trump last month, which has received a positive response from both Israel and Hamas. However, key points remain unresolved, including Hamas’s disarmament, the timing of an Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza, and the formation of an international body to govern Gaza after Hamas steps down.

Hamas seeks assurances from Mr Trump and mediators that Israel will not resume military actions in Gaza after the hostage release.

Among those participating in the talks are Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s chief adviser Ron Dermer.

Representatives from militant groups such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, both holding Israeli hostages, are expected to join later, emphasising efforts to include all Palestinian factions.

Hamas says the indirect negotiations are focused so far on just three issues: halting the conflict, withdrawing Israeli forces from Gaza and the swap deal.

The group has so far refused to discuss one of the biggest sticking points: Israel’s demand that Hamas give up its weapons, which the Palestinian source said Hamas would reject as long as Israeli troops occupy Palestinian land.

Within Gaza, Israel has dialled down its military campaign at Mr Trump’s behest, though it has not halted strikes altogether.

Gaza medical authorities reported eight people killed in Israeli strikes in the last 24 hours, the lowest toll for weeks.

“We hope from God that a ceasefire would take place as soon as possible, because people can’t bear the suffering anymore,” said Jehad al-Shagnobi, whose house was destroyed.

Mr Trump’s plan calls for an international body led by Mr Trump himself and including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to play a role in Gaza’s post-war administration.

Arab countries, which back the plan, say it must lead to eventual independence for a Palestinian state, which Netanyahu says will never happen.

Even if a breakthrough is reached, there is no clear indication who will rule Gaza when the war ends.

Mr Netanyahu, Mr Trump, Western and Arab states have ruled out a role for Hamas, which has run Gaza since driving out Palestinian rivals in 2007.

Hamas has said it was ready to relinquish Gaza governance, but only to a Palestinian technocrat government supervised by the Palestinian Authority and backed by Arab and Muslim countries, as per a longstanding Egyptian proposal.

It rejects any role for Blair or foreign rule of Gaza.

Global outrage has mounted against Israel’s assault.

Multiple rights experts, scholars and a UN inquiry say it amounts to genocide.

Israel calls its actions self-defence after the 2023 Hamas attack.

Gaza authorities say more than 67,000 people have been killed in Israel’s offensive.

It followed the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, when 1200 people were killed and 251 taken to Gaza as hostages, according to Israel’s tallies.

- with Reuters