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 came as both Tel Aviv and Hamas appeared to be nearing a potential deal nearly two years into the conflict.
According to an Axios report, Trump called Netanyahu on Friday to share what he viewed as “good news” following Hamas’s response to the peace plan. However, Netanyahu dismissed the development, saying there was “nothing to celebrate” and that “it doesn’t mean anything.”
Citing a US official familiar with the conversation, the report noted that Trump “fired back,” saying, “I don’t know why you’re always so f***ing negative. This is a win. Take it.”
Netanyahu reportedly viewed Hamas’s response as a rejection and wanted both Washington and Tel Aviv to issue a joint statement framing it as such to counter suggestions that Hamas had reacted positively.
Trump, however, interpreted Hamas’s conditional acceptance as an important breakthrough, especially given fears that the group might have outright rejected his proposal. The disagreement led to Trump’s sharp rebuke of the Israeli leader’s reluctance to welcome the development.
The tense exchange reportedly highlights Trump’s determination to push forward a peace deal despite Netanyahu’s hesitation. Soon after their call, Trump publicly urged Israel to halt air strikes in Gaza — an order Netanyahu complied with three hours later.
Speaking later with Axios, Trump said, “we are close” to a Gaza peace deal, which he aims to finalize soon. Recalling his conversation with Netanyahu, he stated, “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.”
Delegations from Hamas, Israel, and the United States are set to meet in Egypt on Monday for indirect negotiations. Trump has urged all parties to “move fast” to finalize an agreement that would include the release of captives in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian detainees and a ceasefire.
A senior Hamas official confirmed to AFP that the group’s lead negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, will meet Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo before broader talks resume in Sharm El-Sheikh.
Negotiations will reportedly focus on determining the date of a temporary truce and setting conditions for the first phase of the peace plan, which involves releasing 47 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
On Sunday, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that discussions with Hamas and regional allies were “very positive,” adding: “I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST.”
