US President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday for a high-stakes meeting aimed at advancing a Gaza peace deal that could potentially end the Israel-Hamas conflict, which has been ongoing for nearly two years. The talks came at a decisive moment, with Israeli tanks simultaneously pushing deeper into Gaza City, underscoring the urgency of diplomatic intervention.
Netanyahu, making his fourth visit since Trump’s return to office earlier this year, arrived at the White House in a limousine and was welcomed at the door by Trump himself. Their warm public exchange — complete with extended handshakes, compliments, and smiles for the cameras — was a deliberate display of camaraderie. When pressed by reporters about the possibility of finalising a Gaza peace agreement, Trump exuded confidence, responding, “I’m very confident,” and even appearing to mouth, “I am,” when asked if a deal was close.
According to the White House, discussions centred on a proposal designed to end the war in Gaza while paving the way for a more secure Middle East. The talks also included Netanyahu’s phone call from the White House to Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, in which he apologised for an Israeli strike on Doha. This outreach highlighted the delicate diplomacy required to reconcile competing interests and repair strained relationships.
The peace framework under consideration is based on a 21-point US plan recently presented to Arab and Muslim leaders at the UN General Assembly. The proposal outlines an immediate ceasefire, the release of Hamas-held hostages within 48 hours, and a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. It also stresses the need to revive dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians aimed at building conditions for peaceful coexistence. While Trump has consistently claimed that a breakthrough is within reach — a promise he made during his 2024 campaign — the reality has been complicated by both internal and external opposition.
Netanyahu faces a difficult balancing act at home, where he is under pressure from families of hostages demanding swift action and from a war-weary public increasingly critical of the prolonged conflict. At the same time, his far-right coalition could fracture if he is seen as conceding too much to international demands. Israeli officials, as reported by Reuters, are particularly uneasy with certain provisions of the US plan, such as allowing Palestinian security forces to oversee Gaza after the conflict and determining the fate of Hamas leaders.
Arab states have cautiously welcomed the American framework but are awaiting adjustments after Netanyahu’s consultations in Washington. Egypt, a long-time mediator, insists that the Palestinian Authority must play a role in governing Gaza, while Qatar, angered by an Israeli strike earlier in the month, has sought guarantees that Israel will fully abide by the terms once hostages are freed. These regional dynamics add further layers of complexity to an already fragile negotiation process.
Despite the hurdles, Trump projected unwavering optimism, publicly describing Netanyahu as Israel’s “closest ally” and asserting that progress was indeed within reach. His determination to secure a deal reflects both his personal promise to deliver a swift resolution to the conflict and Washington’s broader strategic aim of stabilising the region. Whether this meeting will mark a genuine turning point or become another stalled attempt at Middle East peace remains uncertain, but for the moment, Trump is determined to close what he calls a “historic opportunity” for ending the war.
