US President Donald Trump’s optimism on ending the fighting in Gaza seems to have vanished after he pulled back his negotiators from ceasefire talks. The decision was made following a US assessment that Hamas is neither “coordinated” nor “acting in good faith.” Trump has instead urged Israel to escalate its military campaign, even as images of starving children in Gaza lead to mounting global outrage.
Trump’s comments were seen as a shift in posture, with him signaling that he would do little to pressure Israel to pull back on its 21-month-long military campaign. The president also expressed frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions in Gaza and Syria this month, saying they are “sort of disappointing.”
The US has deemed the talks “normal in the context of these complex negotiations,” but Egypt and Qatar said they will continue mediating for a lasting ceasefire. Despite this, some officials hope that Trump’s comments will push Hamas into a more conciliatory negotiating stance.
However, the sticking points in the talks remain unchanged, including how and when the war will end permanently and where the Israeli military will redeploy in Gaza. The US has accused Hamas of preventing aid from being distributed, but an internal review found no evidence of widespread theft by Hamas of US-funded humanitarian aid.
The situation is growing increasingly dire, with images of starving children and a humanitarian catastrophe escalating concerns for urgent action.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/25/politics/donald-trump-israel-hamas-war