US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, during a bill signing ceremony at the White House, that “we have good news on Gaza”.
He thanked his envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and added, “We have some good news on Gaza and good news on a couple of things that we’re working on at a very high level.”
While Trump did not provide additional details, his comments came hours after a senior political source expressed optimism regarding the possibility that Israel will soon reach a deal with the Hamas terrorist organization for the release of hostages.
"More likely than not, we will reach a deal rather than not. A hostage deal is within reach. I don't know how much longer this will take; negotiations with Hamas are never easy and short," said the source.
He added, "The government is committed to the release of the hostages, and this is the path led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. There are disagreements at various levels, for example, issues that haven't been fully addressed."
Also on Wednesday, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir held a situational assessment and field tour in the Gaza Strip together with the Commander of the Southern Command, MG Yaniv Asor, the Commander of the 162nd Division, BG Sagiv Dahan, the brigade commanders, and other senior officers.
During the field tour, the Chief of Staff spoke with Givati Brigade commanders and emphasized his appreciation for their activity. He also conducted a field observation of the combat in the Beit Hanoun area.
Zamir told the troops, “Your achievements are significant. We already have operational control of 75% of the Gaza Strip."
He noted that "we are approaching a very crucial crossroads. In the coming days, we will know whether or not we have an agreement. I want to say to you: if there is a deal and the hostages return, it will be thanks to your combat, first and foremost, because of your combat. If an agreement is reached, we will pause and reposition along lines defined by the political echelon. If no deal is reached, my directive to Southern Command is to intensify and expand combat operations as much as possible, beyond what we are currently doing. We will operate in additional areas and continue activities just as we have until now."