US President Donald Trump stated on Friday that a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip could be reached within the coming week.

"We think within the next week, we're going to get a ceasefire," he told reporters. 

Trump also commented on statements made by Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the day, describing them as "very nice."

"Vladimir Putin made some very nice statements today. Look, he respects our country again. He didn't respect it a year ago, I can tell you right now, but Putin respects our country," Trump said at the White House.

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Putin had earlier expressed gratitude to Trump for his efforts to resolve ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, referring to Trump as a "courageous man."

The comments from both leaders come amid complex international dynamics, with Washington playing a role in efforts to mediate wars in both the Gaza Strip and Ukraine.

In a related development, the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom revealed that Trump is allegedly applying "heavy pressure" on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt the war in Gaza.

The Israeli newspaper reported on Thursday, citing political sources, that US President Donald Trump is "exerting heavy pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the war on the Gaza Strip," adding that Trump’s pressure campaign "began before the attack on Iran and resumed immediately after it concluded."

This comes after US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that a deal to end the war in Gaza is "very close."

Trump added that even before Washington launched its strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, a Gaza deal had already been "very close" according to updates provided by US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.