Trump Says Israel and Hamas Close to Ceasefire Deal/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump suggested Israel and Hamas may be nearing a ceasefire agreement, with hostages at the center of the talks. During Oval Office discussions, Trump also pressed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to stop buying Russian oil and signaled U.S. sanctions on Turkey’s F-35 purchases could soon be lifted. Erdogan raised issues ranging from regional diplomacy to reopening a long-shuttered Greek Orthodox seminary.
Trump-Erdogan Meeting and Ceasefire Quick Looks
- Gaza Truce Talks: Trump says Israel and Hamas “close to a deal.”
- Hostages Priority: U.S. seeks release of captives taken Oct. 7, 2023.
- Arab Engagement: Trump cites meetings with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Jordan.
- F-35 Sanctions: Trump suggests restrictions on Turkey could be lifted “almost immediately.”
- Erdogan’s Requests: Pressed for F-35, F-16 sales and raised seminary issue.
- Greek Orthodox Seminary: Erdogan, Trump discuss reopening Heybeliada institution closed since 1971.
- Russian Oil: Trump urges Erdogan to halt energy purchases from Moscow.
- Praise for Erdogan: Trump calls him respected by global leaders.
- Syria Policy: Trump credits Erdogan with helping remove Assad regime.
- Abbas Excluded: Palestinian leader barred from UNGA, appeared remotely.
Deep Look: Trump Floats Gaza Ceasefire Progress While Erdogan Presses for Fighter Jet Sales
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump told reporters Thursday that Israel and Hamas are “close to getting some kind of a deal done” on a potential ceasefire, signaling renewed U.S. involvement in efforts to ease one of the world’s most intractable conflicts.
From the Oval Office, where he met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump said hostage releases remain a top priority.
“We want to get the hostages back. I have to get the hostages back,” Trump said. “A lot of people are dying, but we want the hostages back.”
He added that discussions with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Jordan during the United Nations General Assembly had “determined a lot.” Trump did not set a timeline but said, “I think we can get that one done.”
Diplomatic Tensions: Abbas Barred from UNGA
The Palestinian Authority’s President Mahmoud Abbas was denied a U.S. visa and delivered his remarks to world leaders remotely. In his speech, Abbas rejected Hamas’s October 7 attack and insisted the group would have no role in postwar Gaza governance.
Turkey’s Priorities: Fighter Jets and Religious Disputes
Erdogan, at his first White House visit since 2019, sought movement on military and cultural issues. He pressed for F-35 and F-16 jet sales, while also raising the reopening of the Greek Orthodox seminary in Heybeliada, closed by Turkish authorities in 1971. Trump responded that he had recently spoken with Orthodox leaders and pledged to “mention it.”
Trump Signals F-35 Sanctions Could End Soon
Sanctions imposed during Trump’s first term barred Turkey from buying U.S.-made F-35 jets after Ankara acquired Russia’s S-400 missile defense system. On Thursday, Trump suggested those restrictions might be lifted rapidly:
“If we have a good meeting, almost immediately,” Trump said. “He needs certain things, and we need certain things. And we’re going to come to a conclusion.”
Russian Oil and Ukraine Conflict
Turning to Ukraine, Trump urged Erdogan to cut energy purchases from Russia.
“I’d like to have him stop buying any oil from Russia while Russia continues its rampage against Ukraine,” Trump said. “They’ve lost millions of lives already, and for what? Disgraceful.”
Though Erdogan did not directly address the request, he emphasized his desire to strengthen Turkish-American relations. Trump praised him as respected by both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, suggesting he could play an influential role if he chose to.
Trump Credits Erdogan in Syria
Trump also credited Erdogan with helping end the reign of former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, ousted last December. He praised the Turkish president’s behind-the-scenes influence in supporting Ahmed al-Sharaa, now recognized by the U.S. and Europe as Syria’s interim leader.
“I think President Erdogan is the one responsible for Syria, for the successful fight in ridding Syria of its past leader,” Trump said.
Trump confirmed he lifted U.S. sanctions on Syria at Erdogan’s urging, to “give them a chance to breathe.”
A Meeting with Global Ripples
The Trump-Erdogan meeting highlights a complex diplomatic landscape: a possible Gaza ceasefire, Turkey’s push for advanced U.S. military hardware, Ankara’s balancing act with Russia, and evolving power dynamics in post-Assad Syria.
With hostages still in captivity, the Gaza death toll climbing, and NATO allies watching closely, Thursday’s talks underscored how bilateral U.S.-Turkey relations are intertwined with some of the world’s most volatile flashpoints.
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