U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he will address the conflicts in Gaza and Iran during a scheduled meeting next week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. Trump expressed optimism about brokering a ceasefire in Gaza soon, stating he plans to be “very firm” with Netanyahu on the urgency of ending the violence. He noted that the Israeli leader also seeks a resolution.
The meeting is set for Monday, and it follows a week of preparatory discussions in Washington, where senior Israeli official Ron Dermer met with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Vice President JD Vance.
Trump and Netanyahu previously collaborated on a military operation targeting Iran’s nuclear sites in June, which included U.S. B-2 bombing raids. Trump claimed the strikes “obliterated” Tehran’s nuclear capabilities, though analysts remain divided over the actual extent of the damage to Iran’s program.
Speaking to reporters before a trip to Florida, Trump said he hopes a deal involving a ceasefire and hostage release between Israel and Hamas could be reached next week. “We want to get the hostages out,” he said. “We hope it’s going to happen, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Hamas has signalled its willingness to release remaining hostages in Gaza as part of a comprehensive ceasefire agreement. However, Israel insists the war can only end if Hamas is disarmed and dismantled a condition Hamas has rejected.
The conflict erupted after Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and abducting 251 others, according to Israeli figures. Since then, Gaza’s health ministry reports that over 56,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s military campaign. The offensive has triggered mass displacement, severe food shortages, and ongoing legal scrutiny, with genocide allegations at the International Court of Justice and war crimes investigations at the International Criminal Court all of which Israel denies.
