US President Donald Trump is expected to visit Egypt and Israel shortly, following a Gaza ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, pending Israeli cabinet approval.
On Thursday, Trump said he was going to try to make the trip to Egypt to attend a signing ceremony. The White House has been scrambling to work out the details of the hastily arranged trip.
The deal is set to be signed in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, and Trump has received invitations from regional leaders to attend.
US envoy Steve Witkoff also said that Trump is set to travel to Egypt next week, after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi extended an invitation to attend celebrations over Gaza ceasefire deal.
"The President is really excited to come to Egypt, and that is the plan, that he comes next week," Witkoff said in a meeting with Sisi, a video of which was released by the Egyptian presidency.
Sisi's office said he invited Trump to "participate in the celebration to be held in Egypt to mark the conclusion of the agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip", the first phase of which has been signed during talks in Egypt.
On September 29, Trump unveiled a 20-point ceasefire plan for Gaza that includes the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire, and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from entire Gaza.
Phase two of the plan calls for the establishment of a new governing mechanism in Gaza without Hamas' participation, the formation of a security force made up to Palestinians and troops from Arab and Islamic countries, and the disarmament of Hamas.
It also stipulates Arab and Islamic funding for the new administration and reconstruction of Gaza, with limited participation from the Palestinian Authority.
Arab and Muslim counties have welcomed the plan, but some officials have also said that many details in it need discussion and negotiations to be fully implemented.
Meanwhile, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on Thursday that Trump will visit Israel "in the coming days."
Herzog's office said in a statement that Trump's visit will come amid "significant progress in talks on the release of hostages."
Israeli media outlets, including public broadcaster KAN, earlier reported that Trump planned the trip amid news of the ceasefire agreement.
