U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on Friday that a ceasefire deal in Gaza could be finalized within a week, renewing hopes for a breakthrough in the ongoing conflict.
“I think [a deal] is close,” Trump told reporters. “We think within the next week we’re going to get a ceasefire.”
His remarks followed reports in Israeli media that a broad regional agreement had been discussed between Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer. According to the report, “fundamental principles” were agreed upon during those talks, including:
A Gaza ceasefire with the release of all hostages and the exile of Hamas leadership
U.S. recognition of Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria (the West Bank)
Saudi Arabia and Syria joining the Abraham Accords to normalize ties with Israel
The joint governance of Gaza by four Arab states—reportedly including the UAE and Egypt—in a post-Hamas arrangement
While there has been no official confirmation of such a plan from the involved parties, and despite longstanding Arab opposition to any arrangement that excludes a Palestinian state, Trump’s comments have reignited speculation that a ceasefire may be on the horizon.
However, the president has made similar claims before—often without results. On May 30th, Trump stated, "They're very close to an agreement on Gaza... I think we have a chance of making a deal with Iran also... If we could have a deal without bombs being dropped all over the Middle East, that would be a very good thing."
Earlier this year, Trump reportedly gave Netanyahu the green light to abandon a ceasefire that had been reached in January, leading to renewed hostilities.
Trump has also made multiple claims about imminent peace agreements in Ukraine and Iran, often offering vague timeframes. Between April 24th and May 28th, he made no fewer than five public statements in which he suggested progress would be made within “two weeks.” On June 12th, just hours before U.S.-backed Israeli strikes on Iran began, Trump told reporters, “We’re pretty close to a deal with Iran. I would very much prefer a deal.”
Given this pattern, analysts remain cautious, noting that while negotiations may be ongoing, expectations should be tempered by the administration’s record of overpromising and underdelivering on diplomacy.