US hopes to reach Gaza ceasefire deal by end of week — envoy

The United States hopes that an agreement on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of hostages held in the enclave will be reached by the end of this week and that this agreement will lead to a lasting peace in Gaza, US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff said, Report informs via CNN.

"We're in proximity talks now," he said at a cabinet meeting. "We are hopeful that by the end of this week, we will have an agreement that will bring us into a 60-day ceasefire. Ten live hostages will be released. Nine deceased [hostages] will be released. <…> we think that this will lead to a lasting peace in Gaza."

US President Donald Trump said in turn that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would come to the White House again on Tuesday. "We're talking about Gaza, mostly Gaza," he said.