Veteran negotiator says US president deserves to win for Gaza ceasefire deal

Baskin, who went to Australia this year, led negotiations with Hamas regarding Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was captured in 2006 and released as part of a prisoner swap in 2011.

Loading

Trump has repeatedly claimed that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to secure peace.

Norwegian officials are set to announce the winner of this year’s award in Oslo late on Friday (AEDT).

However, the rapid developments in the Gaza talks are unlikely to affect the award because the Norwegian Nobel Committee said the decision on this year’s winner has already been made.

“The last meeting of the Nobel Committee took place on Monday,” Norwegian Nobel Institute spokesman Erik Aasheim told Agence France-Presse.

That means Trump will have to wait until 2026 to win the award, which Barack Obama received in his first year in office.

Netanyahu’s office wrote on social media: “Give Donald Trump the Nobel Peace Prize, he deserves it!” He supported Trump for the award by saying.

According to Anadolu Agency, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi also said that Trump “deserves the Nobel Peace Prize” for the peace agreement.

The agreement, approved by the Israeli government on Friday, paved the way for the suspension of hostilities in Gaza within 24 hours and the release of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas during the Israeli attack on October 7, 2023 and held in Gaza within 72 hours.

Hamas holds 48 hostages, 20 of whom are believed to be still alive. Surviving hostages are expected to be released on Monday or Tuesday.

Israel is expected to release nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in return for the 48 hostages taken hostage by Hamas in its attack on October 7, 2023.

“The government has just approved the framework for the release of all hostages, living and dead,” Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said on his English X account.