Egypt's President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and the UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed expressed support on Monday for a proposal by US President Donald Trump to halt the war in Gaza, describing it as a step toward a comprehensive and lasting settlement in the region. The remarks came during a meeting in Cairo that also addressed bilateral relations and wider regional developments. The White House said it was nearing a deal on Gaza and voiced hope both parties would approve it. Trump is scheduled to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington to advance the plan, following earlier discussions with Qatari officials. He told Reuters that he had received a "very positive response" from Israel and several Arab leaders, adding that the proposal aims not only to end the Gaza war but also to open the way for "a broader peace in the Middle East." White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed that US officials had engaged in both direct and indirect talks with Hamas, stressing that Trump "wants to see the killing in Gaza stop and all hostages released." She underlined that concessions from both Hamas and Israel were essential, insisting that negotiation remained the only path forward. According to Axios, progress has been made in talks between Netanyahu, US envoy Steve Witkoff, and senior adviser Jared Kushner, though Hamas' approval is critical. Israeli media, including Yedioth Ahronoth and Haaretz, reported growing optimism that Israel will accept the plan, with key disagreements over Hamas' disarmament and the Palestinian Authority's role in post-war Gaza beginning to narrow. Some of Trump's advisers, however, cautioned that the president might take a harder line against Netanyahu if he rejects the initiative, warning that U.S. support for Israel has fallen to "unprecedented lows." They described the Gaza peace process as a test of Trump's credibility and said prolonging the war could jeopardise his broader Middle East goals. Meanwhile, violence on the ground continued. Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades said it targeted an Israeli command site east of Gaza City with mortar fire, while Islamic Jihad's Al-Quds Brigades claimed responsibility for destroying an Israeli military vehicle near Al-Quds Hospital and seizing a drone in central Gaza. The Israeli military did not immediately comment. Gaza's health ministry reported 50 deaths and 184 injuries in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll since hostilities resumed on 18 March to 13,187, with 56,305 wounded. Overall fatalities since October 2023 stand at 66,055, with more than 168,000 injured. Reuters said it could not independently verify the figures. The Palestinian news agency WAFA said Israeli forces have besieged Al-Hilu International Hospital since Sunday, shelling the area despite the presence of patients and displaced civilians, including premature infants and cancer patients, amid a communications blackout. The European Commission urged the immediate release of detainees, a large-scale humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza, and an "immediate ceasefire." A spokesperson stressed the "collective responsibility" of the international community to change the situation.
