Tel aviv: Israeli officials expressed surprise following US President Donald Trump's statement regarding an imminent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. According to a report in the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, officials involved in prisoner negotiations in Gaza found Trump's remarks unexpected, noting no evident changes in Hamas's stance or that of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They dismissed Trump's comments as 'political wishful thinking.'

According to Anadolu Agency, the US administration is advocating for a comprehensive agreement that encompasses a ceasefire, the return of Israeli prisoners, and an end to the ongoing conflict. This would potentially facilitate the expansion of normalization agreements in the region.

During a news conference at the White House, American officials expressed confusion over Trump's optimism, quoting him saying, 'We think within the next week we're going to get a ceasefire.' These officials clarified that they had not been informed of any advancements in prisoner exchange talks, although discussions continue under Qatari and Egyptian mediation. Despite ongoing dialogues, no significant progress has been reported.

Reports of an alleged visit by Trump's special representative, Steve Witkoff, were denied, with officials stating no such visit is planned. Israeli officials suspect Trump aims to secure a political victory by leveraging the momentum from the recently announced end of the Israel-Iran conflict, as declared by the US president last week.