ISTANBUL

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday his administration is "getting very close to a deal" on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

“I will tell you we're getting very close to a deal. I don't know if it's secret or not secret, but doesn't matter to me," Trump said during a meeting with African leaders. "We want to have a ceasefire, we want to have peace, we want to get the hostages back, and I think we're close to doing it."

Asked about realistic prospects for a ceasefire this week, Trump offered cautious optimism.

"I think we have a chance this week or next week. Not definitely," he said. "But there's a very good chance that we will have a settlement and agreement of some kind this week and maybe next week, if not."

The comments follow a statement Tuesday by US Special Envoy for Peace Missions Steve Witkoff, who expressed hope for a 60-day ceasefire agreement.

"We are hopeful that by the end of this week, we will have an agreement that will bring us into a 60-day ceasefire," Witkoff said following progress in proximity talks.

The Israeli army has killed nearly 57,700 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages and a spread of disease.