The US President, Donald Trump, hosted on Monday the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, at the White House in their first meeting since the Iran-Israel conflict.
The meeting took place as negotiators from Hamas and Israel were engaged in indirect talks in Qatar to discuss a US-backed ceasefire proposal that aims to pause the war in Gaza, release Israeli hostages and allow the much-needed aid into the war-torn enclave.
Optimistic Tone
The US President struck an optimistic tone regarding the ongoing Gaza ceasefire talks. On Monday, Trump told reporters that he thinks the talks were progressing in a good way, according to BBC. Asked about what was preventing the deal, Trump said: “I don’t think there is a hold-up. I think things are going along very well.”
He also said that Hamas was willing to end the war, which is entering its 22nd month. “They want to meet and they want to have that ceasefire,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
On Friday, Trump expressed optimism regarding the ceasefire deal. “I’m very optimistic — but you know, look, it changes from day to day,” he told reporters, according to the Associated Press (AP).
Palestinian Statehood
On his part, Netanyahu ruled out a full Palestinian State, refloating the idea of relocating Palestinians to other countries. The Israeli Prime Minister said he was working with the US to find countries that would provide Palestinians with a “better future.”
“If people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave,” Netanyahu said. “We’ll work out a peace with our Palestinian neighbors, those that don’t want to destroy us. We’ll work out a peace in which our security, the sovereign power of security, always remains in our hands,” he added.
The plans to relocate Palestinians have faced categorical rejection from the Palestinian Authority and Arab countries as a blatant violation of international law.
When asked about the two-state solution, Netanyahu said: “I think the Palestinians should have all the powers to govern themselves, but none of the powers to threaten us. And that means that certain powers like overall security will always remain in our hands. Now, people will say it’s not a complete state, it’s not a state. We don’t care.”
Gaza Ceasefire Talks
The latest round of negotiations on the ceasefire in Gaza took place on Sunday and Monday in Doha, Qatar. Both Hamas and Israel were considering a US-backed ceasefire proposal that would pause the war for 60 days.
Trump said that Israel had agreed to the conditions necessary to finalize the deal, while Hamas gave a “positive” response, saying it was ready for a new round of negotiations to work on some demands.
Meanwhile, the US President said he would be “firm” with Netanyahu on the urgency for a quick ceasefire in Gaza. On Sunday, Trump said there was a good chance of finalizing the agreement this week.
“The utmost priority for the president right now in the Middle East is to end the war in Gaza and to return all of the hostages,” the White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said.
However, the latest round of talks in Doha ended with “no breakthrough,” the AFP reported citing a Palestinian official familiar with the matter. In the light of this, the US Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, was due to join the talks in Doha later this week to get the ceasefire finalized.
Proposal Details
The ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel have stalled many times as the Palestinian movement demands an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, while Israel insists on the complete destruction and disarmament of Hamas. Both sides are currently considering a US-backed 60-day ceasefire proposal, during which the US would work with all parties to end the war.
According to the AP, the proposal involves a 60-day truce, during which Hamas will release 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 in phases. In exchange, Israel will release a number of Palestinian prisoners and the humanitarian aid flow into Gaza will increase under the UN supervision.
Meanwhile, Israeli troops will withdraw to a buffer zone along Gaza’s borders with Israel and Egypt. Both sides will begin negotiations on ending the war, with mediators Egypt and Qatar acting as guarantors. The ceasefire may be extended if negotiations to end the war are not complete by the end of the 60 days. Moreover, Trump will personally announce the ceasefire agreement once reached.
Nobel Prize Nomination
During the Trump-Netanyahu meeting at the White House, the Israeli Prime Minister said he had nominated the US President for the Nobel Peace Prize for pushing for a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, and handed him a copy of the nomination letter he sent to the prize committee.
“He’s forging peace as we speak, in one country, in one region after the other,” Netanyahu said. “Coming from you in particular, this is very meaningful,” Trump told Netanyahu.
This marks the second time Trump gets a high-profile nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. Last month, Pakistan said it would recommend the US President for the prize in recognition for his efforts in facilitating the ceasefire with India.
The US President has long portrayed himself as a global peacemaker. Trump boasted recent agreements that his administration helped brokering, including between India and Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, and Israel and Iran.
He complained he would not get recognition for his achievements. “I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do, including Russia/Ukraine, and Israel/Iran, whatever those outcomes may be,” he posted on Truth Social in June 2025.
