WASHINGTON ‒ President Donald Trump said he may visit the Middle East this weekend as he looks to finalize a peace deal between Israel and Hamas to end the war in the region.

Trump on Oct. 8 said he believes the peace deal has a "good chance of happening," adding that he would go to the Middle East on Saturday or Sunday if he chooses to make a trip.

"We'll see, but there's a very good chance. Negotiations are going along very well," Trump said. "Our final negotiation is with Hamas, and it seems to be going well."

A Trump administration team led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, is in Egypt for indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas facilitated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt.

Trump said he hasn't decided where in the Middle East he may visit but said it would "most likely" be Egypt. He said visiting Gaza is also under consideration. "I may do that. We haven't decided exactly."

Hamas on Oct. 3 said it agreed to pieces of Trump's 20-point plan to end Israel's two-year war in Gaza, including the release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, from Gaza. Trump quickly touted Hamas' statement, calling it a "very special day," and vowed to secure a formal agreement from the terrorist group.

On the two-year anniversary of its attack on Israel, Hamas on Oct. 7 said it was ready to finalize a deal to end the war based on Trump's plan but pointed to lingering hurdles. Top Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya told Egyptian state-affiliated Al Qahera News TV the group had come "to engage in serious and responsible negotiations."

Contributing: Reuters

Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: President Trump says he may go to Middle East to see through Israel-Hamas peace deal

Reporting by Joey Garrison, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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