Trump Pushes for Gaza Ceasefire and Confirms Direct Talks with Iran

Watan-U.S. President Donald Trump said he would like to see the war in Gaza come to an end, noting that he is working hard to reach another ceasefire agreement. He also confirmed that the United States has started direct talks with Iran.

Speaking during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office at the White House, Trump stated that what he described as control over and possession of the Gaza Strip would be a positive development.

Trump added that the Houthis are manufacturing advanced drones, but “we struck them hard,” saying, “We dealt firmly with the Houthis and caused them significant damage.”

Regarding negotiations with Iran, Trump said that the U.S. has started direct talks with Tehran, hinting at the possibility of a major meeting between the two sides. He added that reaching an agreement is “obviously the preferred outcome.”

Trump emphasized that the negotiations aim to avoid escalation, stating that a successful outcome would be “in Iran’s interest.”

He also mentioned that Israel wants to be a partner in these negotiations, and that it “wants to be involved,” referring to Tel Aviv’s desire to play a role in shaping the outcomes of any potential deal.

For his part, Netanyahu said that Israel is working toward a new agreement regarding the release of hostages in Gaza. “We are currently working on another deal that we hope will succeed. We are committed to freeing all the hostages,” he said.

Netanyahu pointed out that U.S. envoy Steven Weitekamp had helped Israel secure an agreement through which it obtained the release of 25 hostages from Gaza.

On the issue of Iran’s nuclear program, Netanyahu stressed that Israel aims to replicate the Libyan model, where Tripoli abandoned its nuclear ambitions in exchange for international guarantees. “If we can reach a comprehensive diplomatic agreement with Tehran, that would be a good thing,” he said.

He emphasized a unified stance with Washington in rejecting Iran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons, stating: “We are all united in not allowing Tehran to reach that threshold,” and confirmed that Israel supports diplomatic solutions if they are effective.