US President Donald Trump says he will discuss the situations in the Gaza Strip and Iran when he meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House next week, adding that he hopes to achieve a ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave soon.
Trump plans to meet Netanyahu on Monday and told reporters during a visit to Florida that he would be “very firm” with him on the need for a speedy Gaza Strip ceasefire while noting that Netanyahu wants one as well.
A senior Israeli official, Ron Dermer, has been in Washington DC this week holding talks ahead of the meeting.
He was due to meet on Tuesday with US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance, an Israeli official said.
Trump and Netanyahu worked together on a military operation against Iran’s nuclear sites in June that culminated with US B-2 bombing raids.
Trump said he is hopeful that a ceasefire-for-hostages agreement can be achieved next week between Israel and Iran-aligned Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.
“We hope it’s going to happen. And we’re looking forward to it happening sometime next week,” he told reporters as he departed the White House for a day trip to Florida.
“We want to get the hostages out.”
Hamas has said it is willing to free remaining hostages in the Gaza Strip under any deal to end the war, while Israel says it can only end if Hamas is disarmed and dismantled.
Hamas refuses to lay down its arms.
The war in the Gaza Strip was triggered when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Gaza’s health ministry says Israel’s post-October 7 military assault has killed more than 56,000 Palestinians.
The assault has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced the Gaza Strip’s entire population and prompted accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the International Criminal Court.
Israel denies the accusations.
https://thewest.com.au/news/conflict/trump-netanyahu-talks-to-focus-on-gaza-strip-ceasefire-c-19218817
