Netanyahu to meet Trump at White House as US pushes Gaza ceasefire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit the White House on July 7 for talks with US President Donald Trump, as Washington intensifies efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza.

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the visit.

It will be Netanyahu’s third trip to Washington since Trump returned to office in January.

The announcement comes days after Trump expressed hope for a truce in Gaza "within a week," amid growing international scrutiny over the ongoing Israeli genocide in the besieged Palestinian territory.

"This has been a priority for the president since he took office — to end this brutal war in Gaza," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during a briefing.

She said Netanyahu had "expressed interest" in a meeting, and that both sides had been working to finalise the date.

"It’s heartbreaking to see the images that have come out from both Israel and Gaza throughout this war, and the president wants to see it end," she added.

Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer is expected to visit Washington this week for preparatory talks ahead of Netanyahu’s arrival.

Netanyahu was the first foreign leader to visit Trump during his second term, with a February trip that included a surprise announcement by the US president that Washington would consider plans to "take over" Gaza.

The Israeli prime minister visited again in April.

The end of Israel’s 12-day war with Iran has opened a diplomatic window for a ceasefire deal, with Trump reportedly eager to secure another foreign policy achievement.

"We think even next week, we’re going to get a ceasefire," Trump told reporters on Friday.

He later urged Israel to "make the deal in Gaza" in a post on his Truth Social platform.

Despite US pressure, Israel’s military carnage in Gaza has continued.

The Palestinian enclave’s civil defence agency said Israeli strikes on Monday killed at least 95 people, including 33 at a seafront rest area.

Over the weekend, Trump also appeared to link US military aid to domestic legal proceedings in Israel, calling on prosecutors there to drop corruption charges against Netanyahu.

Trump - Netanyahu Relationship

Netanyahu’s expected visit comes after reports few months ago, claiming of serious tension between them.

Previous disagreements reportedly stemmed from several issues, including the Israeli genocide in Gaza and the relationship with Iran before the latest escalation.

Analysts said the strain became especially clear during Trump’s recent Middle East tour, which notably excluded Israel — a first for a US president.

In the days leading up to that visit, Trump negotiated a ceasefire with Yemen’s Houthis without demanding they halt strikes on Israeli targets.

He also approved direct talks with Hamas, during which his team reportedly agreed to facilitate urgent humanitarian aid into Gaza in exchange for the release of a US-Israeli dual national.

Israel’s genocide in Gaza

Israel has been carrying out a genocide in Gaza since October 2023.

Palestinians have recorded killings of more than 56,500 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

Some 11,000 Palestinians are feared buried under rubble of annihilated homes, according to Palestine's official WAFA news agency.

Experts, however, contend that the actual death toll significantly exceeds what the Gaza authorities have reported, estimating it could be around 200,000.

Washington allocates $3.8 billion in annual military funding to its long-standing ally Israel.

Since October 2023, the US has spent more than $22 billion supporting Israel's genocide in Gaza and wars in neighbouring countries.

Despite senior US officials criticising Israel regarding the high civilian death toll in Gaza, Washington has, thus far, resisted calls to place conditions on any arms transfers

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Source: TRT