(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the second phase of his Gaza initiative is “going to happen pretty soon.” When pressed by reporters about the exact timing, he avoided giving a firm date, saying instead that developments were "going along well.”

He referenced newly reported violence in southern Gaza, noting: "They had a problem today with a bomb that went off — hurt some people pretty badly, probably killed some people,” citing information coming in about Israeli strikes that reportedly killed several Palestinians despite the existing ceasefire arrangement between Israel and Hamas. "They're telling me it just happened. But it's going on very well. We have peace in the Middle East. People don't realize it," he added.

The latest strikes occurred not long after Israel’s prime minister warned that Israeli forces would “respond accordingly” following injuries sustained by soldiers during confrontations in Rafah.

Under the first stage of the ceasefire framework, Israeli captives are to be exchanged for Palestinian detainees. The broader plan outlines reconstruction efforts in Gaza along with forming a new administrative system that excludes Hamas.

According to general reporting, Israeli military operations in Gaza since October 2023 have resulted in more than 70,000 deaths — largely women and children — and nearly 171,000 injuries.

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