US President, Donald Trump reportedly told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop being “so negative” during a private phone call, shortly after Hamas conditionally agreed to the latest Gaza peace proposal.
The exchange occurred as Tel Aviv and Hamas appeared to be on the brink of a potential deal, nearly two years into the conflict.
The US leader called the Israeli premier on Friday to share what he viewed as “good news” after Hamas’s response to the peace plan. However, according to an Axios report, Netanyahu felt differently, telling Trump there was “nothing to celebrate” about the development and that “it doesn’t mean anything.”
Quoting a US official with knowledge of the call, the report states that Trump “fired back,” saying, “I don’t know why you’re always so fing negative. This is a win. Take it.”*
Officials further told the publication that Netanyahu viewed Hamas’s response as a rejection and reportedly wanted Washington and Tel Aviv to issue a joint statement reflecting this interpretation to counter the narrative that Hamas had reacted positively to the proposal.
Trump, however, reportedly saw the partial acceptance as a crucial opening for a deal, especially after being concerned Hamas might reject his plan entirely. This difference in perspective is what reportedly led to his sharp reaction to the Israeli Prime Minister’s tepid response.
The exchange underscores the determination of the US President to overcome Netanyahu’s reservations and push through a deal to end the war, provided Hamas follows through on its commitments.
Shortly after the private call, Trump publicly called on Israel to halt its air strikes in Gaza, an order that Netanyahu followed three hours later.
Later, in an interview with Axios, Trump stated that “we are close” to a peace deal in Gaza, which he intends to finalize in the coming days. Recalling the conversation, he said he told Netanyahu this was his “chance for victory” and asserted that the Israeli leader had eventually gotten on board. “I said, ‘Bibi, this is your chance for victory.’ He was fine with it… He’s got to be fine with it. He has no choice. With me, you got to be fine,” Trump was quoted as saying.
Delegations from Hamas, Israel, and the United States are scheduled to convene for indirect talks in Egypt on Monday, with President Donald Trump urging negotiators to “move fast” to secure the release of captives in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian detainees and end the war.
A senior Hamas official told news agency AFP that the group’s lead negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, would meet with mediators from Egypt and Qatar in Cairo on Monday morning, ahead of broader talks in the resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh.
The negotiations are expected to focus on determining the date of a temporary truce and establishing the conditions for the first phase of the peace plan, which calls for the release of 47 hostages held in Gaza in return for hundreds of Palestinian detainees.
On his Truth Social platform on Sunday, the US President praised the “very positive discussions with Hamas” and allies, including Arab and Muslim nations. “I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST,” Trump wrote.
