The Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth quoted unnamed sources familiar with the exchange deal talks as saying that Trump's statements appeared to be "nothing more than political security concerns," given the lack of "signs of a change in the positions of Hamas and Netanyahu."
According to sources, the US administration is seeking to advance a "comprehensive deal" that includes a ceasefire, prisoner exchange, and an end to the war, as a prelude to expanding the scope of normalization agreements in the region.
Officials added that they did not understand the basis for Trump's optimism, particularly following his statements during a White House press conference on Friday, in which he described the situation in Gaza as "horrific" and expressed hope for a ceasefire within the next week.
They also confirmed that they had not received any official notification of a breakthrough in the prisoner exchange negotiations, noting that ongoing contacts through Qatari and Egyptian mediation have yet to yield tangible results.
Officials also denied reports of an imminent visit by US envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, stressing that there are no current plans for him to visit the region.
They concluded by noting that Trump appears to be trying to capitalize on the momentum generated by the end of the confrontation between Israel and Iran to achieve a new political achievement.
Last May, Witkoff presented a proposal to Hamas, stipulating the release of half of the living Israeli hostages and half of the bodies of those killed within seven days of the agreement's entry into force, in exchange for a 60-day truce. During the truce, indirect negotiations would be conducted "seriously and in good faith" with the aim of reaching a permanent ceasefire.
At the time, Hamas submitted its response to the mediators regarding the proposal, explaining that it "achieves three main goals: a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive withdrawal from Gaza, and ensuring the entry of humanitarian aid to the population of the Strip," without specifying its content.
Tel Aviv estimates that there are 50 Israeli prisoners in Gaza, 20 of whom are still alive. Meanwhile, more than 10,400 Palestinians are languishing in its prisons, suffering from torture, starvation, and medical neglect, many of whom have died, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with American support, has been committing genocide in Gaza, including killing, starvation, destruction, and displacement, ignoring international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt it.
The genocide left more than 189,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 11,000 missing. Hundreds of thousands were displaced, and famine claimed the lives of many, including children.
