Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet US President Donald Trump on Monday at Mar-a-Lago to discuss advancing the next stage of the fragile Gaza ceasefire.
The White House said the meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. local time. Some officials have expressed concern that both Israel and Hamas are slow-walking the second phase of the truce. Trump, who said Netanyahu requested the talks, is reportedly eager to announce a Palestinian technocratic government in Gaza and deploy an international stabilisation force as early as January.
Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian said Netanyahu would focus on ensuring Hamas is disarmed and Gaza is demilitarised. The prime minister is also expected to raise Iran’s nuclear program, citing threats to both regional stability and US security.
Netanyahu’s visit follows intense diplomacy in Palm Beach, where Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday to discuss ending Russia’s invasion. Earlier this month, Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner met officials from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey in Miami as part of ongoing mediation efforts.
