Trump pushes Israel-Syria deal with U.S. guarantees – Israeli newspaper
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – U.S. President Donald Trump is pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire with Hamas, as part of broader efforts to broker a political agreement between Israel and Syria, under American guarantees, an Israeli newspaper said on Monday.
According to Israel Hayom, U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack visited Damascus in an effort to advance negotiations between Tel Aviv and Damascus, backed by U.S. guarantees.
On the same day, Barrack announced that dialogue between Syria and Israel has begun, and there is growing momentum to reach an agreement.
The newspaper noted that Trump views a potential agreement with Syria as a way to provide Netanyahu with the political cover needed to adopt a more flexible stance on Gaza and pave the way for a temporary resolution there.
According to the report, Trump is aiming for the main components of the agreement to be finalized by Thursday. These include a hostage exchange deal involving a two-month, extendable ceasefire in Gaza, alongside a parallel agreement with Syria.
During a meeting with Trump at the White House on Monday, Netanyahu said that Syria’s transitional President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, had opened a channel of communication and presented a serious opportunity for peace. He warned that Syria would stand to lose if it returned to conflict, but could benefit greatly from moving toward peace.