Israel’s Netanyahu to meet Trump for talks on Gaza ceasefire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit the White House on July 7th for negotiations with US President Donald Trump, a US official confirmed, as the US intensifies pressure for a ceasefire in Gaza, as reported by Al-Monitor via AFP on June 30th.

This will be Netanyahu’s third meeting with Trump since the US president’s return to office in January. Trump stated he hoped to see a ceasefire within a week.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Netanyahu had “expressed interest” in the meeting and both sides had been “working on a date.”

“This has been a priority for the president since he took office, to end this brutal war in Gaza,” Leavitt said. “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.”

Netanyahu previously visited Trump in February and April. During the February meeting, Trump stunned observers by announcing a plan of the US to “take over” Gaza.

The end of Israel’s recent 12-day war with Iran has created an opening for renewed negotiations. “We think even next week, we’re going to get a ceasefire,” Trump said on June 27th. On Truth Social, he urged Israel to “make the deal in Gaza”.

Despite these calls, Israel continues its offensive. Gaza’s civil defence agency reported that 51 deaths took place on June 30th, including 24 people at a seaside rest area.

Trump also urged for the corruption charges facing Netanyahu to be dropped. He said: “The United States of America spends Billions of Dollar a year, far more than on any other Nation, protecting and supporting Israel. We are not going to stand for this.”

Israel has killed over 56,000 in Gaza, mostly civilians, the Hamas-run health ministry said. The UN considers these figures credible.

Al-Monitor via AFP, Maghrebi.org