Retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark told Newsmax on Monday that he believes there is a 50-50 chance an Israel-Hamas peace deal could be reached as early as Thursday, crediting President Donald Trump's influence in halting Israel's military campaign and forcing Hamas toward concessions.
On "American Agenda," Clark said there are still "problems identifying the locations of those who have died while they were held hostage," but added that Trump's intervention has created the first "real window for peace" since the conflict began after Iran-backed Hamas' terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
"President Trump has the power," said Clark, a former NATO supreme allied commander. "He stopped the Israeli continuation of the offensive. Hamas must understand they're at the end of the line."
The latest talks in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, have centered on Hamas' ability to verify the status of 28 hostages believed to have been killed in captivity. Negotiators said the group has been unable to account for several of the bodies, a key obstacle in completing a full exchange agreement that would accompany a permanent ceasefire.
Clark said Hamas faces a dilemma: "They've got maximum remaining leverage right now," he said. "If they don't take this deal, there's no stopping what's going to happen, and it will be a tragedy for the Palestinian people."
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