U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for crucial discussions on Monday to urge his support for a peace initiative in Gaza, with the goal of resolving a nearly two-year conflict during which Israel has faced increased international isolation.
In his fourth visit since Trump’s re-election in January, Netanyahu sought to strengthen Israel’s key relationship following Western leaders’ recent endorsement of Palestinian statehood, a move that defied the U.S. and Israel.
Trump, who had criticized the recognition of Hamas as a concession, sought Netanyahu’s agreement on a plan to bring an end to the conflict in Gaza and secure the release of remaining hostages held by militants.
This highlighted a heightened diplomatic push by the President, who had promised to swiftly resolve the conflict during his 2024 campaign and has since claimed multiple times that a resolution was imminent, only to see it falter.
During the UN General Assembly last week, Washington presented a 21-point peace proposal to Arab and Muslim nations, and on Monday, Trump’s primary aim was to bridge any remaining gaps with Netanyahu.
The meeting at the White House took place as Israeli forces advanced further into Gaza City, intensifying one of their largest offensives of the conflict this month, with Netanyahu stating his objective to eliminate Hamas from its final strongholds.
Netanyahu arrived at the White House in a limousine and was warmly greeted by Trump, a stark contrast to the reception at the UN General Assembly, where many delegates had walked out in protest during his speech.
Despite Netanyahu praising Trump as a close ally to Israel, there are indications of Israeli doubts regarding the proposal, as well as reservations among Arab nations.
The plan, developed by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s Middle East adviser Jared Kushner, outlines a ceasefire agreement followed by the immediate release of remaining hostages held by Hamas within 48 hours, along with a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Past ceasefire attempts supported by the U.S. collapsed due to the inability to bridge the divide between Israel and Hamas, with Netanyahu vowing to persist in combat until Hamas is fully dismantled.