Trump says Hamas ‘agreeing to things that are very important’ as he pushes 20-point Gaza plan

WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump said Monday that Hamas has been “agreeing to things that are very important” as negotiations continue on his recently unveiled 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan.

“If certain things aren’t met, we're not going to do it, but I think we're doing very well, and I think Hamas has been agreeing to things that are very important,” Trump told reporters at the Oval Office.

He said there is “a really good chance of making a deal,” adding “it'll be a lasting deal.”

On Sept. 29, Trump unveiled a 20-point proposal that includes the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a ceasefire, the disarmament of Hamas, and the rebuilding of Gaza. Hamas agreed to the plan in principle.

Trump praised the diplomatic efforts of regional leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whom he called “fantastic” and “very powerful.”

“He’s been pushing very, very hard to get this deal done. And Hamas has a lot of respect for him,” he said. “They have a lot of respect for Qatar, for the UAE, and for Saudi Arabia. We have everybody on our side to get this deal. There's never been anything like it.”

“I can’t think of any country that’s been negative about this,” he said. “Everyone wants it to happen — including, I think, Hamas. And when they want it to happen, it’s going to happen.”

'Very close to having a deal'

Later Monday, speaking to Newsmax, Trump said a deal in Gaza is within reach.

"I think we're very, very close to having a deal," he said.

The world is in favor of having this deal done, he added.

"It's a very specific deal, and it will bring peace to the Middle East, beyond Gaza, it'll bring peace to the Middle East. And I think there's a lot of goodwill being shown now. It's pretty amazing," he said.

The Israeli military has killed over 67,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has rendered the enclave all but uninhabitable and has led to mass displacement, starvation and the proliferation of disease.