Trump says Israel and Hamas ‘both sign off’ on first phase of Gaza peace plan

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

Image source, Getty Images

The first inkling that there was some movement on the Gaza deal tonight came earlier today, at the tail end of a nearly two-hour event focused on domestic law enforcement and Antifa.

A few minutes before the end of the event, Secretary of State Marco Rubio entered the room, taking a seat near Trump, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

From where I stood in a scrum of reporters on the far side of the room, Rubio seemed – at least to me – to be somewhat nervous, and fidgety. He later scrawled a note on a piece of White House stationary, handing it to Trump and moments later walking over to him, bending down and whispering in his ear.

Trump looked at the note and pursed his lips, nodding, seemingly satisfied. As reporters yelled questions in his directions, he stopped us and said that the note informed him that “we are very close to a deal”.

He exited the room just moments later, saying he had to go focus on the Middle East.

Notably, earlier in the same Trump was asked whether any trip to the Middle East could potentially include Gaza. “I may do that,” he said, adding that he would be “going to Egypt” and “making the rounds”.

Image source, Getty Images