US President Donald Trump says the Gaza hostage-ceasefire deal he helped finalize “should hold.” The comments appear to soften ones he made earlier this week when he said he was not confident that the agreement would hold.

Extending the ceasefire depends on even more negotiations meant to begin soon and eventually tackling the tough issue of how Gaza will be governed, with Israel still demanding the elimination of Hamas. Hanging over those talks is the possibility Israel could resume its campaign to destroy the group — even as dozens of hostages remain in its hands.