Gaza Talks Heat Up as Trump Weighs In

In the middle of the ongoing Gaza conflict, former U. S. President Donald Trump has been vocal about the need for a ceasefire. He's been pushing for a deal that would stop the fighting and bring back hostages held by Hamas. Trump's social media posts have been clear: he wants action and he wants it fast. There are signs that progress might be happening. An Israeli official mentioned plans for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit Washington soon. This could mean serious talks are on the horizon. But nothing is set in stone yet, as the official spoke on condition of anonymity. Trump has been optimistic about a deal, saying one could happen within a week. He's been working on this, but past attempts to broker a ceasefire have failed. Still, a top adviser to Netanyahu is heading to Washington this week for more talks. Trump hasn't just been talking about Gaza. He's also criticized Netanyahu's corruption trial, calling it a political witch hunt. He believes the trial is getting in the way of the ceasefire talks. This has caused some unease in Israel, despite Trump's popularity there. Meanwhile, the Israeli military has ordered new evacuations in northern Gaza. This area has seen heavy fighting and damage. The military wants people to move south to make it easier to combat militants. Rights groups are concerned, saying this could be a forced transfer. The war started with Hamas attacks last October. Since then, there's been a lot of suffering. Over 56, 000 people have been killed, mostly women and children. The talks have hit a snag over how the war should end. Hamas wants a full Israeli withdrawal, while Israel wants Hamas to disarm and leave. Both sides are far apart on these issues.