Trump reveals phone call that pushed Israel to agree to ceasefire as president reveals next step to end war
Donald Trump has revealed the phone call that pushed Israel to 'agree' on a ceasefire and suggested the next steps which need to be taken before the war can end.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict dates back to the end of the nineteenth century but Israel has been bombing Gaza since October 2023, almost immediately following the Hamas-led attack.
Hamas is a nationalist political organisation who have kept hostages from Israel over the past two years, and their release could be key in bringing an end to the conflict which has left thousands dead and Gaza in ruin.
Trump has boasted about his ability to bring wars to an end, recently taking responsibility for ending 'seven', although his peace talks with Vladimir Putin earlier this year so far seem to have been fruitless, as Russia continues to attack Ukraine.
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However, it appears as if his phone call to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may have been a huge step towards agreeing on a ceasefire between the two countries.
While Hillary Clinton may well have been joking about nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize if he plays a part in bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to an end, he might actually be in with a shout if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can finally be brought to an end.
Speaking to Israeli television's Channel 12 on Saturday (4 October), Trump opened up about his call with Netanyahu and what the next steps need to look like before peace can officially be agreed.
He said: "Netanyahu had reservations but I told him that this is his opportunity for victory. He accepted it. There is no other choice, with me you have to be okay.
"Bibi went too far in Gaza and Israel lost a lot of support in the world. Now I will bring back all that support."
The president also took to his beloved Truth Social to share the news with his followers, and suggested that the hostages Hamas have will soon be returned to Israel, which will hopefully spell the end of the bombing and Israeli military presence in Gaza.
He wrote: "After negotiations, Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line, which we have shown to, and shared with, Hamas.
"When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal, which will bring us close to the end of this 3,000 YEAR CATASTROPHE."
According to the BBC, the proposed 'initial withdrawal' would leave Gaza around 55 percent occupied, the second would then leave it about 40 percent occupied.
The final withdrawal phase, which would create a 'security buffer zone', would reportedly leave around 15 percent of Gaza occupied by the Israeli military.
However, just hours after this announcement from Trump, Israel launched more airstrikes on Gaza, resulting in at least 22 fatalities. Netanyahu also suggested that while a delegation had been sent to Egypt to prepare for negotiations, there wouldn't be a full withdrawal from Gaza.
This is a condition that Hamas has long demanded for a ceasefire, and unless Trump can convince Netanyahu to release the territories Israel currently holds, it is difficult to see how these peace talks can continue to progress.
Topics: Donald Trump, World News
James Moorhouse