Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday to discuss “victory over Hamas,” countering Iran, and expanding diplomatic relations with Arab nations, reported AP. This will be Trump’s first meeting with a foreign leader since returning to office.
The talks come as US and Arab mediators work on negotiating the next phase of a ceasefire in Gaza, which has paused the 15-month war and led to the release of 18 hostages as well as hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Hamas, which has reasserted control in Gaza since the ceasefire began last month, has said it will not release more hostages without a full withdrawal of Israeli forces and an end to the war.
Netanyahu is facing pressure from far-right coalition partners to resume military operations once the first phase of the ceasefire ends in early March. He has reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to defeating Hamas and securing the release of all remaining hostages taken during the militant group’s October 7, 2023, attack.
Trump’s unclear stance
Trump has historically been a strong supporter of Israel but has also vowed to end conflicts in the Middle East. He has taken credit for helping to broker the current ceasefire and is believed to be pursuing a broader regional deal, potentially including diplomatic ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Ahead of his departure, Netanyahu said he and Trump would discuss “victory over Hamas, achieving the release of all our hostages and dealing with the Iranian terror axis in all its components.” He added that by working together, they could “strengthen security, broaden the circle of peace and achieve a remarkable era of peace through strength.”
Israeli strikes and ceasefire status
On Sunday, an Israeli airstrike in central Gaza wounded five people, including a child in critical condition, according to Al-Awda Hospital. The Israeli military stated that the strike targeted a vehicle bypassing a checkpoint in violation of the ceasefire agreement.
The war has killed over 47,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s health authorities, who do not specify how many of the dead were combatants. The conflict has devastated several cities and displaced around 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents.
Story continues below this ad
Under the first phase of the ceasefire, Hamas is to release a total of 33 hostages—eight of whom are said to be dead—in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces have withdrawn from most areas, allowing displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza as humanitarian aid flows in.
Negotiations on the second phase, which would see the return of around 60 remaining hostages and a potential end to the war, are set to begin Monday. Mediators from the US, Qatar, and Egypt are working to reach an agreement before the ceasefire expires in early March.
Prospects for a larger deal
Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, played a role in finalizing the current ceasefire deal and has met with Netanyahu in Israel ahead of Tuesday’s talks. Trump is believed to be seeking a wider agreement involving Saudi Arabia, but Riyadh has maintained that any deal would require an end to the war and a credible path to Palestinian statehood.
Jordan’s King Abdullah has also been invited to the White House for talks with Trump on February 11. Jordan supports Palestinian statehood and has rejected Trump’s suggestion of relocating Palestinians from Gaza to Jordan and Egypt.
Story continues below this ad
Netanyahu’s government remains opposed to a Palestinian state, and far-right coalition partner Bezalel Smotrich has threatened to withdraw support if the war does not resume next month, raising the prospect of early elections.
Despite the ceasefire in Gaza, violence continues in the occupied West Bank. On Sunday, Israeli forces expanded an operation from the city of Jenin to the town of Tamun, reporting over 50 militants killed. The Palestinian Health Ministry said a 73-year-old man was shot dead in Jenin, while five others, including a 16-year-old, were killed in overnight airstrikes.
(With inputs from AP)