An agreement initiated by President Donald Trump to end the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza would be “revolutionary,” U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker told Newsmax on Monday.
Whitaker appear on “Wake Up America” as Israeli and Hamas officials were holding indirect talks in an Egyptian resort on Trump’s peace plan for Gaza. The talks will focus on the first stage of a ceasefire, including the partial withdrawal of Israeli forces and the release of hostages held by the Hamas terrorists in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli detention.
“It would be revolutionary,” Whitaker told co-hosts Marc Lotter and Sharla McBride of a potential ceasefire. “What we know right now is obviously the technical details are being worked out, as we speak, in Egypt, and hopefully this will come together very quickly.
“I think President Trump is pushing as hard as he can to get this deal done. It’s sort of a take-it-or-else communication strategy I think right now.
“But remember, tomorrow is going to be a very solemn day. You know, Oct. 7 obviously is going to hurt a lot of Israelis to their core. And so a peace deal delivered on the two-year anniversary, I think, would be appropriate.
“But at the same time, you know, these things are complicated and complex. And so I’m glad to know that the details are being worked out right now.”
Turning to NATO issues, Whitaker said the alliance remains united and strong amid Russian provocations in Europe. He noted that Russia “continues to test the alliance,” but that NATO “passes that test with an A-plus every time.”
He also emphasized the growing importance of counterdrone defenses, drawing lessons from the war in Ukraine.
“Most of the deaths are being caused by these one-way attack drones,” Whitaker said. “We’re making sure we can do all of the above — fast jets, tanks, artillery — but also world-class innovation to keep our soldiers safe.”
Despite challenges from the U.S. government shutdown, Whitaker said American leadership within NATO remains unwavering.
“We’re at the table every single day,” he said. “We don’t let domestic politics interfere with the mission of keeping our one billion citizens safe.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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