United States President Donald Trump hosts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House today, and the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip will be the main topic.
The meeting comes at a crucial stage of the ceasefire. Israel and Hamas have less than four weeks to agree on the principles of the second phase, which should include the release of all hostages still being held in Gaza, a complete end to fighting and an Israeli withdrawal from the territory.
"I have no guarantee that peace will be sustainable ," President Trump said Monday.
Before the White House meeting, Mr. Netanyahu spoke on Monday with US special envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff, who was part of the efforts to secure the ceasefire agreement.
Prime Minister Netanyahu's office announced in a statement that the meeting was "positive and friendly" and that he will convene Israel's Security Cabinet upon his return from the United States to "discuss Israel's overall positions regarding the second phase of the agreement."
Envoy Witkoff is expected to meet with Qatari and Egyptian officials as the three countries continue to mediate an end to the fighting.
In addition to the ceasefire, Mr. Netanyahu said that he and President Trump will discuss responding to Iranian aggression and expanding diplomatic relations with Arab states.
President Trump brokered agreements to normalize relations between Israel and four Arab states during his first term. Now he is aiming for a broader agreement through which Israel would establish relations with Saudi Arabia.
But Saudi Arabia has said it would agree to such a deal if the war in Gaza ends and if there is a sustainable path to the creation of a Palestinian state in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories that Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war.
The United States supports the creation of a Palestinian state, but Prime Minister Netanyahu's government opposes it.
Hamas, which is considered a terrorist organization by the United States, has released 18 hostages so far, while Israel has released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
The Gaza War began with Hamas militants attacking Israel on October 7, 2023, during which they killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostages.
Israel's counteroffensive during 15 months of fighting has killed 47,500 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children. The Israeli military says this figure includes 17,000 militants killed./ Voice of America (A2 Televizion)
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