U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday he may travel to the Middle East later this week, as negotiators in Egypt reported "encouraging" progress toward a deal to end the Gaza war.

Trump, whose 20-point peace proposal forms the basis of the talks in the resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, said a peace deal between Israel and Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas is "very close."

"Negotiations are going along very well," Trump told reporters at the White House.