Netanyahu Meets Trump in Washington Amid Gaza Ceasefire Push

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Washington to meet US President Donald Trump, as hopes rise for a new Gaza ceasefire deal after 21 months of conflict. The meeting, held at the White House, follows renewed indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Qatar over a US-sponsored proposal for a 60-day truce and hostage release.

Trump, who previously urged Netanyahu to end the war, expressed optimism about securing an agreement this week. "We are working to achieve the deal under the conditions we have agreed," Netanyahu said before departing for the US, adding that discussions with Trump could advance the outcome. The proposed deal includes the release of 28 hostages—10 alive and 18 deceased—in five stages over 60 days, alongside a significant increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza. Israeli forces would partially withdraw from northern and southern Gaza, and Hamas would provide details on remaining hostages. In exchange, Israel would release over 2,000 Palestinian detainees held without charge. However, sticking points remain. Hamas demands an immediate end to operations by the Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, preferring UN oversight of aid efforts, and questions the timeline for Israeli troop withdrawals and control of the Rafah crossing. Netanyahu’s office called Hamas’s proposed changes "unacceptable," insisting the group must disarm—a demand Hamas has rejected. In Gaza, residents like Nabil Abu Dayah, displaced from Beit Lahia, expressed scepticism, fearing a temporary truce would lead to renewed fighting. "I don’t want a truce but a complete stop to the war," he said, citing exhaustion from displacement, hunger, and living in tents. In Israel, families of hostages rallied over the weekend, urging a comprehensive deal to free all captives. Ilay David, whose brother Evyatar was filmed by Hamas during a previous ceasefire, told a Jerusalem crowd, "This is the moment to sign an agreement that will release all hostages, without exception." The talks follow recent Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites and a subsequent Israel-Iran ceasefire, which analysts say may give Netanyahu leverage to overcome objections from his far-right coalition partners, who oppose any deal relinquishing control of Gaza. Hamas, weakened by strikes on its ally Iran, may also be more open to concessions. Trump is eager to shift focus to other Middle East priorities, including Israel-Syria border talks, normalising Israel-Saudi Arabia relations, and potential negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme. The Gaza conflict, sparked by Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack that killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, has killed over 57,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Israel’s military reports 20 soldiers killed in the past month and says it is close to achieving its war goals. Polls show two-thirds of Israelis support a ceasefire to secure the hostages’ release. As Gaza’s humanitarian crisis worsens, with acute malnutrition among children and dwindling fuel supplies threatening medical care and water access, the coming days will be critical for both political progress and alleviating suffering.