The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth has revealed that the United States is ramping up pressure on Israel to end its war on the Gaza Strip, as part of a broader regional initiative that ties the conflict’s resolution to wider diplomatic goals.
According to informed sources quoted by the paper, Washington is pushing Tel Aviv to finalise a prisoner exchange agreement, which would serve as a cornerstone for a broader framework aimed at ending the war and restoring a measure of regional stability.
US Making Captive File a “Top Priority”
Sources confirmed that senior American officials, during a recent White House meeting between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told the families of Israeli captives in Gaza that the prisoner file is a top priority for the U.S. administration.
The Americans reportedly insisted that no ceasefire deal will be acceptable unless it includes a comprehensive resolution to the detainee issue, framing it as an essential step toward stabilising the region.
These developments suggest that Washington’s approach to the Gaza war is not isolated, but rather interwoven with other regional matters — including ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran — under what analysts describe as a coherent geopolitical strategy.
A “Serious Deal” in the Making
President Trump recently confirmed that his administration is actively engaging both Hamas and Israel to advance a new ceasefire deal. Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, reportedly told the families of Israeli prisoners during a closed-door meeting in Washington last Thursday that a “serious deal” was currently being negotiated and could be finalised in a matter of days.
Witkoff described the proposal as “very serious,” according to Yedioth Ahronoth, while other reports noted that Israel has been stalling, refusing to accept any agreement that includes a permanent ceasefire and a full withdrawal from Gaza, both of which are key conditions in Egypt’s new proposal.
Egypt’s Offer and the Numbers in Detention
According to Israel’s Channel 12, the Egyptian initiative proposes:
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- A 50-day ceasefire,
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- The release of 8 Israeli captives (alive), including dual-national soldier Aidan Alexander,
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The return of 8 Israeli bodies,in exchange for a halt in Israeli aggression.
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Israel officially estimates that 59 of its citizens are being held in Gaza, with 24 presumed alive. Meanwhile, over 9,500 Palestinians are currently imprisoned in Israeli jails under conditions that include systematic torture, medical neglect, and starvation, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights groups.
Trump’s Deadline for Netanyahu
Yedioth Ahronoth also reports that President Trump has given Netanyahu a few weeks to conclude military operations before demanding a pivot toward a comprehensive diplomatic solution.
This follows the collapse of the first phase of a Qatari-Egyptian-U.S.-backed ceasefire and prisoner deal, which began on January 19, 2025, and was respected by Hamas.
However, Prime Minister Netanyahu — currently wanted by international courts for war crimes — reneged on the agreement and resumed his genocidal campaign in Gaza on March 18, bowing to pressure from the most extremist factions of his far-right government, according to Israeli media.
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