PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, marking their second encounter at the White House since Trump’s return to the presidency.
Confirmed by both a White House representative and Netanyahu’s office on Saturday, the meeting occurs as Israel expands its military presence into a new security zone within Gaza to exert pressure on Hamas. Israel’s defense minister has indicated plans to annex significant portions of Gaza into these security zones.
Last month, Israel broke the existing truce with a surprise attack on Gaza, following attempts to push Hamas toward accepting revised ceasefire conditions, an action supported by the White House. This has resulted in hundreds of Palestinian deaths.
Israel has stated its intention to intensify military actions in Gaza until Hamas releases all remaining hostages from the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, disarms, and withdraws from the region. Additionally, Israel has stopped all deliveries of food, fuel, and aid to Gaza.
Netanyahu’s office communicated via social media that discussions with Trump would cover “the tariff issue, efforts to free our hostages, relations between Israel and Turkey, the threat posed by Iran, and the dispute with the International Criminal Court.” Israel is currently subject to a 17% tariff.
Netanyahu faces potential charges from the ICC for alleged crimes against humanity in Gaza, although the U.S. is not a member of this court.
In February, Netanyahu was the first international leader to visit the White House during Trump’s second term. Their discussions then centered on the conflict between Israel and Hamas and the subsequent steps following a ceasefire agreement.
During a joint press conference following their February meeting, Trump unexpectedly proposed relocating displaced Palestinians from Gaza permanently and suggested the U.S. should lead the redevelopment of the area into “the Riviera of the Middle East.” This proposal faced opposition from Palestinians, who were against leaving their homeland, and drew criticism from Arab nations and human rights organizations.
The February meeting allowed Netanyahu to highlight the Trump administration’s backing of Israel, defend the country’s actions in the war, and divert attention from domestic political challenges.
These internal pressures have increased as Israelis continue to protest the absence of a hostage release agreement and Netanyahu’s decisions to dismiss the heads of the domestic security agency and the attorney general. He is also facing demands to acknowledge his responsibility for the failures that preceded the Oct. 7 attack.
In a statement released on Saturday, families of hostages in Gaza urged Trump to “please use all your power to pressure Netanyahu to end this war and bring our hostages back now.”
Ifat Calderon, the aunt of hostage Ofer Calderon, stated in Tel Aviv, “We are addressing President Trump: Netanyahu is lying when he says that military pressure will bring back the abductees. The only way to quickly return all the abductees is to end the war and return them all in one fell swoop.”
Hamas has stated it will only release the remaining 59 hostages, 24 of whom are presumed alive, in exchange for the release of more Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
The Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths, primarily civilians. Around 251 hostages were taken, with the majority later released through ceasefire agreements and other negotiated deals.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, over 50,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza as a result of Israel’s offensive. The ministry does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Israel claims to have killed about 20,000 militants, though it has not provided supporting evidence.
Meanwhile, two close associates of Netanyahu were arrested this week on suspicion of accepting funds from Qatar to enhance the country’s image in Israel. Qatar is a key mediator between Hamas and Israel, but it denies supporting the militant group. Netanyahu maintains that the case is without merit.
The prime minister is also currently involved in a long-standing corruption trial and frequently criticizes a “deep state” that he claims is targeting him.
Trump has announced that his first foreign trip during his second term will include stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and potentially the United Arab Emirates, along with “other places,” possibly as early as May. Trump has expressed a desire to reward Saudi Arabia for its investments in the U.S. and anticipates that all three Gulf countries will commit to creating jobs in the U.S. during his visit.
—Associated Press writers Natalie Melzer in Jerusalem, Darlene Superville in Washington and Cara Anna contributed to this report.