The US President, Donald Trump, and the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, are set to meet on Monday, December 29, 2025 in Florida.
The meeting comes in a critical timing for Washington and Tel Aviv. The discussions between the two leaders are expected to cover several issues of mutual concern, most notably the ceasefire in Gaza, as well as Iran and Lebanon, according to Reuters.
Gaza Ceasefire Progress
The stalled ceasefire in Gaza is expected to dominate the talks between Trump and Netanyahu, as the US is pushing for the implementation of the next steps of the agreement.
On December 22, the Israeli Prime Minister said that his meeting with the US President will address the second phase of the ceasefire deal in Gaza, in addition to Israel’s concerns over Iran and Lebanon. The US brokered ceasefire agreements between Israel and Gaza, Iran and Lebanon, but Tel Aviv has fears they could rebuild their forces.
On October 10, 2025, a ceasefire took effect between Hamas and Israel in Gaza, as part of a 20-point peace plan presented by Trump. The first phase of the plan included increased flow of humanitarian assistance, the return of all the remaining hostages, partial Israeli troops’ withdrawals, and a reduction in hostilities.
Ceasefire Next Phase
Currently, mediators push for advancing the plan’s second phase which includes the deployment of the International Stabilization Force (ISF), the formation of a transitional Board of Peace chaired by Trump, and Israel’s withdrawal to a designated Red Line.
In a meeting last week with the US Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, senior officials from Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye discussed preparations for the plan’s second phase, including “enabling a governing body in Gaza under a unified Gazan authority to protect civilians and maintain public order.”
Moreover, the mediators reiterated support for “the near-term establishment and operationalization of the Board of Peace as a transitional administration for the civilian, security, and reconstruction tracks of the reconstruction.”
Earlier, the US State Secretary, Marco Rubio, said that Gaza’s Board of Peace will be in place very soon, followed by the deployment of the ISF. Trump also noted earlier in December that he will reveal the names of world leaders and officials taking part in the Gaza Board of Peace in early 2026. He also said that the ISF deployment is expected early next year.
Hamas Disarmament
The implementation of the next phase of Trump’s peace plan faces hurdles, as both Hamas and Israel accuse each other of violating the ceasefire agreement. Furthermore, the disarmament of Hamas remains one of the major sticking points in advancing toward phase two of the plan.
The Palestinian group insists it will only hand over its weapons if Israel ends its occupation of Palestinian territories and an independent Palestinian State is established. Meanwhile, Israel suggested it will resume military action if Hamas does not give up its weapons peacefully.
Commenting on this issue, Rubio said that peace cannot be achieved if Hamas “is ever in a position in the future that they can threaten or attack Israel,” stressing that Hamas disarmament is “so critical.”
Iran Concerns
During his fifth meeting with Trump this year, Netanyahu will likely bring up the Iran issue to the discussion. Iran and Israel fought a 12-day war in June, which ended with a Trump-brokered ceasefire after the US bombed Tehran’s key nuclear facilities.
Since then, the two countries have been accusing each other of planning a new attack, signaling readiness for a renewed confrontation. Israel is wary that Iran is rebuilding its ballistic missile capabilities and could launch a surprise attack.
On the other hand, the Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian, said on Saturday that Tehran was in a full-scale war with the US, Israel and Europe, which seek to “bring Iran to its knees.” He also warned that this war was “more complicated and more difficult” than the Iran-Iraq war.
Lebanon Ceasefire
Despite the ceasefire agreement signed in November 2024, tensions remain high between Lebanon and Israel over the disarmament of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah. The Lebanese government said it was close to disarming Hezbollah by the year-end deadline, but the group has rejected giving up its weapons.
Most recently, the Israeli military has intensified its airstrikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs, accusing the Lebanese group of rebuilding its military capabilities. In November, Israel killed Hezbollah’s top military commander in an airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut (Dahiyeh).
