Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly had a “tepid” reaction to Hamas’s agreement to parts of peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, prompting a strong retort from the POTUS, reports Hindustan Times News Desk.
Axios quoted the conversation between the two in which it is evident that Netanyahu’s reaction wasn’t what Trump had expected. “Bibi told Trump this is nothing to celebrate, and that it doesn’t mean anything,” a U.S. official was quoted as saying by Axios.
In response, Trump fire back at him and said, “I don’t know why you’re always so f***ing negative. This is a win. Take it.”
Hamas nod to peace plan: Last week, Hamas agreed to parts of Trump’s peace plan and agreed to release the last of Israeli hostages.
Responding positively to Hamas’s nod, Trump called on Israel to stop its bombing in Gaza. Hamas also said it was willing to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independents, “based on Palestinian national consensus and supported by Arab and Islamic backing”.
Trump’s alarm: Trump has asked all stakeholders involved in Gaza ceasefire talks to “move fast”, adding that there had been “very positive discussions” with Hamas. Trump’s message came ahead of negotiators’ gathering in Egypt for crucial talks aimed at ending the war in Gaza.
“There have been very positive discussions with Hamas, and Countries from all over the World (Arab, Muslim, and everyone else) this weekend, to release the Hostages, end the War in Gaza but, more importantly, finally have long sought PEACE in the Middle East,” US President Donald Trump, who claims to have played key role in solving several other global conflicts, posted on his Truth Social platform.
“These talks have been very successful, and proceeding rapidly. The technical teams will again meet Monday, in Egypt, to work through and clarify the final details. I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST,” Trump’s post added.
Israel, Hamas meet begins in Egypt
CAIRO, OCT 6 (AGENCIES): Israeli and Hamas officials launched indirect talks Monday at an Egyptian resort on a US-drafted peace plan to end the ruinous war in Gaza on the eve of its second anniversary.
Many uncertainties remain about the plan presented by US President Donald Trump last week, including the disarmament of the militant group a key Israeli demand and the future governance of Gaza. Trump has indicated an agreement on Gaza could pave the way for a Middle East peace process that could reshape the region. Despite Trump ordering Israel to stop the bombing, Israel continued to pound Gaza with airstrikes, killing at least 19 people in the last 24 hours, the territory’s Health Ministry said. An Egyptian official said talks began at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh Monday afternoon. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly about the talks.
The Israelis are led by top negotiator Ron Dermer, while Khalil al-Hayyah leads the Hamas delegation.
Hamas said negotiations will focus on the first stage of a ceasefire, including the partial withdrawal of Israeli forces as well as the release of hostages held by the militants in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention.
US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are also expected to join the talks, Egypt’s state-run al-Ahram reported.
This latest push for peace comes after Hamas accepted some elements of the US plan that Israel also said it supported. Under the plan, Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages about 20 believed to be alive within three days. It would give up power and disarm.
The talks in Egypt are expected to move quickly. Netanyahu said they would be confined to a few days maximum, though some Hamas officials have warned more time may be needed to locate bodies of hostages buried under rubble.
A ceasefire, the return of hostages and detainees, the reconstruction of Gaza, and the start of a peaceful political process leading to the establishment and recognition of a Palestinian state mean that we are on the right path toward lasting peace and solid stability, he said.
He underscored the importance of preserving the US-crafted peace system in the Middle East since the 1970s, which he said served as a strategic framework for regional stability.
El-Sisi spoke in a televised address commemorating the anniversary of the October 6, 1973, war with Israel that led to Egypt reclaiming the Sinai Peninsula, where Sharm el-Sheikh is located.
The US has said Israel’s heavy bombardment of Gaza would need to stop for the hostages to be released. Israel says it’s largely heeding Trump’s call. Israel’s military said it is mostly carrying out defensive strikes to protect troops, though dozens of Palestinians have been killed since the military’s statement Saturday night.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said Monday the bodies of 19 people, including two aid-seekers killed by Israeli strikes and gunfire, had been brought to hospitals over the past 24 hours. Another 96 were wounded.
The deaths brought the Palestinian toll to 67,160 since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, triggered the war, with nearly 170,000 wounded, the ministry said.
The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but says more than half of the deaths were women and children.
The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the UN and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.