President Donald Trump indicated on Friday that a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas would be unlikely, and suggested that Hamas was losing its ability to negotiate.

Only a few weeks ago, President Donald Trump seemed confident a deal was days away that would end the fighting in Gaza, secure the release of hostages and allow aid to flow into an enclave where people are starving to death.

In May, Trump secured the release of Edan Alexander, the last US Israeli citizen held hostage after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, surprise attack on southern Israel, which killed about 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and started the latest war. Alexander, who grew up in Tenafly, NJ, had been serving in the Israeli military when he was captured.

The pressure on Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire has reached a very critical stage, with about 20 hostages still thought to be in Hamas captivity and numerous other bodies still unrecovered. Keith Siegel,

Trump envoy Steve Witkoff blames Hamas as Gaza ceasefire talks stall yet again, bringing no hope for starving Palestinian children.

United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher has demanded that Israel provide evidence for its accusations that staff with the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs were affiliated with Palestinian militants Hamas,

"They are all in a life-threatening situation, the alive and the deceased," said Keith Siegel on the remaining hostages.