• Source:JND
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US President Donald Trump on Friday said he was optimistic about a breakthrough in the Gaza conflict, even as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s determination to continue its military campaign until Hamas is eliminated.

Speaking to reporters at the White House before leaving for New York, Trump said negotiations were progressing rapidly. “It’s looking like we have a deal on Gaza. I think it’s a deal that will get the hostages back. It’s going to be a deal that ends the war,” he told journalists, though he did not provide a timeline or specific details.

Trump’s 21-Point Plan For Gaza

Earlier this week, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Trump presented a 21-point plan aimed at ending the nearly two-year-long war in Gaza. According to US officials, the proposal has been shared with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia and Pakistan.

The plan calls for the release of all hostages, including those deceased, an end to Israeli strikes in Qatar, and the opening of new dialogue channels between Israel and the Palestinians. Washington believes this framework will help rebuild Gaza and set conditions for long-term stability.

A senior White House official said Trump will host Netanyahu on Monday at the White House to discuss the proposal in detail and work toward a “framework for peace.”

Netanyahu’s Defiant Stand At UNGA

Just minutes before Trump’s remarks, Netanyahu told the United Nations General Assembly in New York that Israel “must finish the job” against Hamas.

“The final remnants of Hamas are holed up in Gaza City. They vow to repeat the atrocities of October 7. That is why Israel must finish the job, and we will do so as quickly as possible,” Netanyahu declared.

He insisted Israel would continue military operations until Hamas’s infrastructure was destroyed, despite mounting international calls for restraint.

Hostage Families Protest At UN

Outside the UN headquarters, hundreds of protesters led by families of Israeli hostages demonstrated during Netanyahu’s address. They carried posters with photographs of their loved ones and chanted, “Bring them home, all of them now.”

Several family members accused the Netanyahu government of failing to prioritize the release of hostages. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum issued a sharp statement condemning Netanyahu for naming only 20 of the 48 hostages believed to remain in Gaza, saying it was an attempt to “rewrite history.”

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The Gaza war erupted after Hamas fighters stormed into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and abducting 251 others, according to Israeli figures. Israeli officials say 48 hostages are still being held, of whom about 20 are thought to be alive. Israel’s military response has since left much of Gaza in ruins. Local health authorities say more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed in airstrikes and ground operations, with hundreds of thousands displaced.

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As Trump prepares to meet Netanyahu on Monday, international attention will be focused on whether Washington’s new initiative can bridge the divide between Israel’s insistence on military victory and growing global pressure for a ceasefire.