Trump, Netanyahu Meet at White House for High-Stakes Gaza Peace Talks

US President Donald Trump will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday for crucial discussions on advancing a long-delayed Gaza peace plan.

Trump has insisted a deal to end the nearly two-year war in Gaza is “essentially done” after recent talks with Arab leaders. The proposed plan aims to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas, disarm the militant group, and establish a ceasefire.

On Sunday, Trump hinted at a breakthrough on his Truth Social platform, writing: “ALL ARE ON BOARD FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL, FIRST TIME EVER. WE WILL GET IT DONE!!!”

Netanyahu, however, has dampened hopes for progress. In a defiant address at the UN last Friday, he vowed to “finish the job” against Hamas and pledged to block the creation of a Palestinian state — a move backed by several Western governments. The Israeli leader has also pressed ahead with a military offensive in Gaza City, which has displaced hundreds of thousands in recent weeks.

This marks Netanyahu’s fourth trip to the White House since Trump returned to office in January, as the US president struggles to make good on his promise to end the conflict “within days.” Despite their traditionally close ties, Trump has shown frustration in recent weeks — warning Netanyahu against West Bank annexation and criticising Israel’s strike on Hamas operatives in Qatar, a key US ally.

Families of Israeli hostages urged Trump not to back down. “We respectfully ask you to stand firm against any attempts to sabotage the deal you have brought forth,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum wrote in an open letter. “The stakes are too high and our families have waited too long for any interference to derail this progress.”

Analysts say the outcome of Monday’s meeting will hinge on Trump’s willingness to apply pressure. “Netanyahu has a clear preference for continuing the war and defeating Hamas, but I don’t think it’s impossible for Trump to convince him otherwise,” said Natan Sachs of the Middle East Institute. “It would need a lot of pressure from Trump and a very clear and sustained strategy.”

Both leaders are expected to hold a joint press conference at 1:15 p.m. US Eastern time (1715 GMT).

The US-Led Proposal
The emerging 21-point peace framework includes the disarmament of Hamas, release of all hostages, and a Gaza ceasefire. Reports suggest former British Prime Minister Tony Blair could head a US-backed “Gaza International Transitional Authority” supported by the UN and Gulf states, with eventual control handed to a reformed Palestinian Authority (PA).

But Netanyahu has rejected the PA’s return to governing Gaza, casting doubt on its reform prospects. “The credibility or the likelihood of… a reformed Palestinian Authority that changes completely its stripes, that accepts a Jewish state, that teaches its children to embrace coexistence… well, good luck,” he told Fox News on Sunday.

The war was sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, assault, which killed 1,219 people in Israel, mostly civilians — the deadliest day in the nation’s history. Since then, Israel’s offensive has killed more than 66,005 Palestinians, also mostly civilians, according to health ministry figures in Hamas-run Gaza, figures the UN deems reliable.

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