U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he will discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip and Iran during his upcoming meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House next week.
Trump is expected to meet Netanyahu on Monday and told reporters during a visit to Florida that he will be “very direct” with him about the need for a swift ceasefire in Gaza, emphasizing that Netanyahu also supports such an outcome.
Senior Israeli official Ron Dermer has been in Washington this week to hold preparatory discussions ahead of the leaders’ meeting.
He was expected to meet today with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Vice President JD Vance, according to an Israeli official.
Trump and Netanyahu had previously coordinated a joint military operation in June targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, which culminated in bombings by U.S. B-2 bombers.
Trump claimed the airstrikes “destroyed” Tehran’s nuclear capabilities, although the extent of the actual damage to Iran’s nuclear program remains disputed.
Trump also expressed hope that a hostage-exchange ceasefire deal between Israel and Iran-backed Hamas militants in Gaza could be finalized next week, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.
“We hope it will happen. And we are looking forward to it happening next week,” Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for a one-day trip to Florida.
“We want the hostages to be released,” he added.
Hamas has stated that it is prepared to release the remaining hostages held in Gaza as part of any agreement to end the war, while Israel maintains that the conflict will only end if Hamas is disarmed and dismantled.
Hamas, however, refuses to surrender its weapons.
The Gaza war began when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and abducting 251 others, according to Israeli officials.
The Gaza Ministry of Health reports that more than 56,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s military operations since October 7.
The war has also triggered a famine crisis, displaced the entire population of Gaza, and led to accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and war crimes at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Israel denies all such allegations.
