Ahead of his departure, Netanyahu told reporters he would discuss “victory over Hamas”, contending with Iran and freeing all hostages when he meets with President Donald Trump on Tuesday.
“I think it’s a testimony to the strength of the Israeli-American alliance,“ he said before boarding his flight.
Trump, who has claimed credit for sealing the ceasefire deal after 15 months of war, said Sunday that negotiations with Israel and other countries in the Middle East were “progressing”.
Netanyahu’s office said he would begin discussions with Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff on Monday over terms for the second phase of the truce.
The initial, 42-day phase of the deal is due to end next month.
Trump has said that 15 months of fighting has reduced the Palestinian territory to a “demolition site” and has repeatedly touted a plan to “clean out” the Gaza Strip, calling for Palestinians to move to neighbouring countries such as Egypt or Jordan.
“We emphasised the importance of concerted efforts to intensify the entry of humanitarian aid and rehabilitate the Strip to make it livable and to stabilise the Palestinian people in their land,“ Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said following a meeting with Turkey’s foreign minister.
Under the ceasefire’s first phase, Hamas was to free 33 hostages in staggered releases in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
During their October 7, 2023 attack, Hamas militants took 251 hostages, 91 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military has confirmed are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory response has killed at least 47,283 people in Gaza, a majority civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry, figures which the UN considers reliable.
Trump moved quickly to reset relations.
The ceasefire discussions in Washington are expected to also cover concessions Netanyahu must accept to revive normalisation efforts with Saudi Arabia.
Trump believes “that he must stabilise the region first and create an anti-Iran coalition with his strategic partners,“ including Israel and Saudi Arabia, said David Khalfa, a researcher at the Jean Jaures Foundation in Paris.
Jenin operation
The massive offensive began on January 21 with the Israeli military saying it aimed to root out Palestinian armed groups from the Jenin area, which has long been a hotbed of militancy.
The Palestinian health ministry meanwhile said the Israeli military killed a 73-year-old man and a 27-year-old in separate incidents in the West Bank on Sunday.
Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 883 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the war, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
At least 30 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military raids in the territory over the same period, according to Israeli official figures.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Israeli prime minister in Washington for Gaza ceasefire talks )
Also on site :