Ceasefire progress in Gaza as Egypt praises Trump’s role, urges Israeli restraint

A breakthrough in Gaza ceasefire negotiations has led to high-level diplomatic meetings, as Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi hosted former U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. El-Sissi praised Trump’s role in facilitating the deal, stating it would not have been possible without him. The Egyptian leader is now calling for calm and concrete action.

“It is important that we also make an effort to convince the Israelis to calm down or to stop the fire until the agreement that was reached is signed. This will be very, very important,” el-Sissi said.

Witkoff emphasized the unprecedented cooperation behind the scenes, highlighting the joint efforts of Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Israel.

“To watch it was really, to me, a great example of the world coming together,” he said.

The first phase of the ceasefire is now in effect after Israel approved a U.S.-brokered plan. However, it remains unclear whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered a full military halt. Meanwhile, Hamas has said it will not release hostages until a formal declaration is made ending the war.