Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump declared on Thursday that he will not permit Israel to annex the West Bank, a stance aligned with the "red line" established by Arab leaders as part of ongoing efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza. "I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. I will not allow it. It's not going to happen," Trump asserted to reporters at the White House, emphasizing that the situation has reached a point where it must cease. He mentioned having spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the matter.

According to Namibia Press Agency, during a closed-door meeting held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump assured Arab and Muslim leaders that he would prevent the annexation. This promise is a crucial element of a 21-point plan proposed by the Trump administration aimed at resolving the Israel-Hamas conflict and establishing a governing body in Gaza that is not affiliated with Hamas.

The proposal emerges as Israel faces increasing international scrutiny due to the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza. The meeting saw participation from leaders and senior officials representing Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan.

The United Arab Emirates had previously cautioned that any move by Israel to annex would cross a "red line." However, despite Trump's assurances, the report indicated that achieving a ceasefire to conclude Israel's nearly two-year conflict with Hamas in Gaza remains elusive. This was highlighted by a source familiar with the ongoing discussions.

During a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House earlier on Thursday, Trump expressed optimism, stating that significant progress had been made. "We're close to getting some kind of a deal done," he remarked, emphasizing the importance of retrieving hostages, "we want to get the hostages back... We want them all back at one time."

The Arab leaders have outlined specific conditions that must be satisfied: Israel must refrain from annexing parts of the West Bank or Gaza, abstain from occupying sections of Gaza, cease settlement construction in Gaza, stop undermining the status quo at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and immediately increase humanitarian aid to Gaza, as conveyed in the report.