Israel is ready to negotiate a lasting deal to end the war with Hamas in Gaza when a temporary halt to hostilities begins in the Palestinian territory, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday.

Trump's meetings with the Israeli leader have brought no apparent breakthrough for a ceasefire in Gaza, where the bloodshed continues unabated.

"Today, we reached an agreement with Israel to expand humanitarian access to Gaza," European Union foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas wrote on X. "This deal means more crossings open, aid and food trucks entering Gaza, repair of vital infrastructure and protection of aid workers. We count on Israel to implement every measure agreed," Kallas added.

President Trump on Wednesday said he believed the U.S. was close to securing a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

As talks for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip resume, Palestinians in the battered enclave say they are desperate for deal to end the war between Israel and Hamas.

Former U.S. Amb. to Israel Tom Nides discusses President Donald Trump’s upcoming meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israel-Hamas conflict on ‘The Story’.

In Washington statement, Prime Minister lays out 60-day ceasefire plan linked to release of hostages and end to Hamas's rule in Gaza; warns of military action if diplomatic efforts fail, including on Iranian nuclear threat.

A deal being hammered out with Hamas would see 10 men released out of 20 believed to be alive, and the decision about who should be freed is creating despair