Can Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East change the fate of the hostages retained by Hamas since October 7, 2023? The French president, Emmanuel Macron, said Monday, May 12 on Monday, “has President Trump and his crucial visit to the region”, a few hours after the release of Edan Alexander.
Last American hostages living in Gaza, Hamas gave it to Israeli authorities through The International Red Cross Committee, after direct negotiations between the United States and Hamas, in Doha.
Donald Trump in the Middle East for his first international visit
“Relief after the launch of Edan Alexander. Each life returned to freedom is a victory and a stage towards peace,” said Emmanuel Macron in X, asking for the “without delay” of the hostages still retained by Hamas.
The French head of state shared his “total support for a high fire in Gaza on Monday night.”
For his first international tour from his return to power, Donald Trump is expected from Tuesday to Friday in Saudi Arabia, in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. In Riad, the American leader will meet with the leaders of the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman), whose diplomatic influence continues to grow, as evidenced by the role of mediation performed by some of them in the conflict in the Gaza.
This war will surely be in the menu for discussions when a new cycle of negotiations could begin soon. Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, announced on Monday the sending of a “negotiation delegation to doha” forGet the launch of the remaining hostages in Gaza.
“I clearly indicated that the negotiations would only take place under the fire of the attacks,” said the Israeli leader.
Negotiations in which Hamas is ready to participate “immediately.” The objective of the Islamist organization: “to reach a final agreement on the end of the war, the exchange (of Israeli hostages for the Palestinian prisoners), the management of Gaza by an independent organization (…) in addition to the reconstruction and the end of the siege.”
According to the Israeli army, Hamas still retains fifty -eight hostages in the Palestinian enclave, 34 of which they still died according to Tsahal, who has been leading intense bombardments since the end of the last truce in mid -March.
Source: BFM TV
