The U.S. president told reporters Friday on Air Force One that it was "good" that Hamas was ready to enter talks.

President Donald Trump's schedule on Wednesday includes a 12:05 p.m. ET lunch with the leaders of five African nations in the State Dining Room. Trump reportedly invited the leaders of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal to Washington to discuss areas of cooperation, including economic ties.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip to Washington this week netted President Donald Trump another nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize he covets, but the ceasefire the U.S. leader

President Donald Trump has ramped up expectations around a possible 60-day ceasefire in the war in Gaza after he said Thursday that a response from Hamas was expected within the next day.

On the foreign policy front, Trump said he will send more weapons to Ukraine after the Pentagon paused deliveries of the critically-needed supplies last week. Overnight, Russia launched what Ukrainian officials said was the largest aerial assault since the start of the war.

Tenafly native Edan Alexander, who was recently released from Hamas captivity, met with President Trump to celebrate his freedom.

"The conversation with President Trump can definitely help advance that result which we are all hoping for," Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.

US President Donald Trump on Friday welcomed Hamas's response to a US-brokered Gaza ceasefire proposal, calling it "a positive spirit" and saying a deal could be reached by next week, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Netanyahu said his meeting with Trump focused on freeing hostages in Gaza, and stressed his determination to "eliminate" the capabilities of Hamas.

WASHINGTON, July 4 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday it would probably be known in 24 hours whether the Palestinian militant group Hamas has agreed to accept what he has called a "final proposal" for an Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza.