Gaza talks continue, Trump hopeful for peace in Middle East

President Donald Trump said Monday afternoon that ongoing hostage negotiations in Egypt were bigger than just Gaza, seeking peace across the Middle East. He added that Iran had signaled it wants an agreement for peace in Gaza, and he was optimistic about a deal being reached soon.

Who is representing the U.S. in Egypt? White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday named the negotiators helping lead talks between Israel and Hamas on President Donald Trump’s framework for the end of the war in Gaza. Special presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, who headed up previous rounds of talks with the terror group, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were working hard to create the right conditions for hostages to be released, she said. Egyptian and Qatari officials were expected to mediate between the parties as they had in the past.

Trump later referred to the duo as the A-plus team, and said no one was more capable than Kushner.

When will talks wrap up? Leavitt declined to set a deadline for the end of the talks, held in Sharm El-Sheik, Egypt. Hamas’ Friday agreement to negotiate the framework met the conditions of Trump’s previously stated Sunday deadline, she said. All sides agreed the war must end, she said.

Trump on Sunday said he was pressing all sides to move quickly. The first phase of negotiations should be completed this week, he said.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report on Hamas’ answer to Trump’s framework.