Gaza ceasefire deal 'very close,' could be finalized within 48 hours: Reports

By Serdar Dincel

ISTANBUL (AA) - A Gaza ceasefire deal is "very close," several media reports said, citing multiple sources involved in the talks, who add that it could be finalized within 48 hours.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump could “potentially” visit the Middle East if a deal is reached, CNN reported on Wednesday.

According to Egyptian state-affiliated TV, US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Israel’s chief negotiator Ron Dermer held an “expanded meeting” in Egypt on Wednesday.

Negotiators are working to reach an agreement based on Trump's ceasefire plan for Gaza. According to a Hamas official, the Palestinian group and Israel have already exchanged lists of hostages and prisoners set to be released as part of the deal.

Several other sources familiar with the matter told Axios that officials from the US, Israel, and Qatar are optimistic that a deal to end the war in Gaza could be reached this week.

Two White House officials reported significant progress in the talks, indicating that an agreement could be reached within days.

A senior Israeli official expressed cautious optimism, saying: “There is progress. We feel cautious optimism.”

Meanwhile, a source familiar with the discussions indicated that Qatari mediators expect to reach an agreement by Friday.