White House hails 'truly remarkable' progress on Gaza as delegations meet in Egypt

WASHINGTON

The White House on Monday lauded the "truly remarkable" progress on a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal that has followed Hamas' response to President Donald Trump's proposal.

"What we saw take place on Friday … is truly remarkable," spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters, alluding to the day Hamas issued its formal response. "You've seen all sides of this conflict agree that this war needs to end, and agree to the 20-point framework that President Trump proposed."

Indirect technical talks between Israel and Hamas began in the Egyptian coastal city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday, and Leavitt confirmed that Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law Jared Kushner are leading the US delegation.

"The administration is working very hard to move the ball forward as quickly as we can. The president wants to see a ceasefire. He wants to see the hostages released, and the technical teams are discussing that as we speak, to ensure that the environment is perfect to release those hostages," said Leavitt.

"They're going over the lists of both the Israeli hostages and also the political prisoners who will be released. And those talks are underway, and the president is very much on the ball and is being apprised of this situation," she added.

An Israeli negotiating team arrived in Sharm el-Sheikh early Monday for the ceasefire talks. The Hamas delegation, headed by the group’s exiled Gaza leader Khalil al-Hayya, arrived on Sunday.

Leavitt said the US would be focused during the talks on security guarantees and good governance in Gaza.

On Sept. 29, Trump unveiled a 20-point plan which includes the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a ceasefire, the disarmament of Hamas, and the rebuilding of Gaza. Hamas agreed to the plan in principle.

The Israeli military has killed over 67,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has rendered the enclave all but uninhabitable and has led to mass displacement, starvation, and the proliferation of disease.