Trump hopeful for Gaza ceasefire, possibly ‘next week’

 US President Donald Trump voiced optimism Friday about a new ceasefire in Gaza, saying an agreement involving Israel and Hamas could come as early as next week.Asked by reporters how close a ceasefire was in Gaza, Trump said: "We think within the next week, we're going to get a ceasefire."

The United States brokered a ceasefire in the devastating conflict in the waning days of former president Joe Biden's administration, with support from Trump's incoming team.

Israel declared the ceasefire over in March, launching new devastating attacks on Hamas, which attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.Israel also stopped all food and other supplies from entering Gaza for more than two months, drawing warnings of famine.

Israel has since allowed a resumption of food through the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which involves US security contractors with Israeli troops at the periphery.

Witnesses and Gaza officials have reported multiple instances of Palestinians killed while waiting for aid.The United States on Thursday announced it would begin funding the initiative with $30 million approved.

"We're supplying, as you know, a lot of money and a lot of food to that area," Trump said Friday.

"We're involved because people are dying. And look at those crowds of people that have no food, no anything," she said.

Left-leaning Israeli daily Haaretz quoted unnamed soldiers as saying commanders ordered troops to shoot at crowds near aid distribution centres to disperse them even when they posed no threat.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied the account.

Agence France-Presse