JERUSALEM (AFP) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to begin talks on brokering a second phase of the ceasefire with Hamas, his office said, as he visits the new Trump administration in Washington.
Ahead of his departure, Netanyahu told reporters he would discuss “victory over Hamas”, and freeing all hostages when he meets with President Donald Trump today.
It will be Trump’s first meeting with a foreign leader since returning to the White House in January, a prioritisation Netanyahu called “telling”.
“I think it’s a testimony to the strength of the Israeli-American alliance,” he said before boarding his flight.
He was welcomed to the US capital on Sunday night by Israel’s ambassador to the UN Danny Danon, who stressed the coming Trump-Netanyahu meeting would strengthen “the deep alliance between Israel and the United States and will enhance our cooperation”.
Trump, who has claimed credit for sealing the ceasefire deal after 15 months of war, said on Sunday that negotiations with Israel and other countries in the Middle East were “progressing”.
“Bibi (Benjamin) Netanyahu’s coming on Tuesday, and I think we have some very big meetings scheduled,” Trump said.
Netanyahu’s office said he would begin discussions with Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff today over terms for the second phase of the truce.
