Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Washington on Monday for his third meeting this year with U.S. President Donald Trump. While the two leaders are expected to highlight their recent joint strikes on Iran as a major success, the protracted war in Gaza is likely to take center stage during their private discussions at the White House.
Before his departure from Israel, Netanyahu expressed optimism over efforts to end the Gaza conflict, which has dragged on for nearly two years.
“I am working to achieve the deal under discussion, on the terms we agreed to,” Associated Press quoted Netanyahu. “I think that the discussion with President Trump can certainly help advance that result, which all of us hope for.”
Gaza Ceasefire Remains Uncertain
The Gaza ceasefire remains uncertain even though Israel and Hamas appear to be edging toward a temporary truce. The proposed agreement reportedly includes a 60-day pause in hostilities, increased humanitarian aid for Gaza, and the release of some of the approximately 50 hostages still held by Hamas.
The core disagreement remains unresolved: whether the truce would mark the beginning of the end of the war or merely serve as a temporary pause.
Hamas has offered to release all hostages in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a formal end to the war. Netanyahu has rejected those terms, maintaining that the war will continue until Hamas “surrenders, disarms, and goes into exile”, conditions Hamas has firmly refused.
Trump and Netanyahu are currently more aligned than ever, following the joint U.S.-Israel strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure.
“Trump believes that Netanyahu owes him,” said Eytan Gilboa, an expert on U.S.-Israel relations at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv. “And if Trump decides that ending the war in Gaza is necessary, then he will expect Netanyahu to follow suit,” reported Hindustan Times.
While Trump has expressed hope for a ceasefire in Gaza, his position appears fluid and responsive to developments on the ground.
Netanyahu also said Israeli negotiators heading to ceasefire talks in Qatar had clear instructions to achieve a ceasefire agreement under conditions Israel had accepted, Reuters reported, and added that Trump could help achieve those goals.
Donald Trump, who has frequently voiced his ambition to be remembered as a global peacemaker, is expected to push hard for a breakthrough in Gaza. A ceasefire would reinforce a string of recent diplomatic victories his administration claims to have secured, including peace deals between Israel and Iran, Congo and Rwanda, and India and Pakistan.
Trump’s desire to conclude his second term with a landmark Middle East peace accord may increase pressure on Netanyahu to accept a deal. However, whether this results in a definitive end to the war or merely another temporary pause remains uncertain.
