Netanyahu to visit Trump at White House as Gaza ceasefire pressure intensifies

WASHINGTON, July 1 — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to visit the White House next week for talks with President Donald Trump, as the U.S. intensifies efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, a U.S. official confirmed on Monday.

The meeting, scheduled for July 7, will mark Netanyahu’s third visit since Trump returned to office in January. It follows Trump’s recent remarks expressing hope for a truce in the conflict-ravaged Palestinian enclave within the week.

A senior Trump administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the planned visit to AFP.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Netanyahu had shown interest in a meeting and that both parties were finalizing the date. “Ending this brutal war in Gaza has been a top priority for the president since day one,” Leavitt said during a press briefing. “The images from both Israel and Gaza have been devastating, and the president is committed to seeing this war come to an end.”

Ahead of Netanyahu’s trip, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer is scheduled to visit Washington this week to prepare for the meeting, Leavitt added.

Netanyahu was the first foreign leader to visit Trump during his second term in February, when Trump unexpectedly unveiled a proposal for the U.S. to “take over” Gaza. The Israeli leader visited again in April.

The recent conclusion of a 12-day war between Israel and Iran has created an opening for renewed diplomatic efforts, with Trump eager to add another peace deal to the string of agreements he has previously brokered.

“We believe a ceasefire could happen as soon as next week,” Trump said on Friday. On Sunday, he urged Israel via Truth Social to “make the deal in Gaza.”

Despite diplomatic efforts, Israel continues its military campaign in Gaza, aiming to dismantle the militant group Hamas. Gaza’s civil defence agency reported that Israeli strikes on Monday killed at least 51 people, including 24 at a beachfront area.

Trump has also appeared to use U.S. military aid to Israel as leverage, calling on Israeli prosecutors to drop corruption charges against Netanyahu. “The United States spends billions each year—more than on any other country—to support Israel. We will not tolerate this,” Trump wrote.

The Gaza conflict was sparked by Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which left 1,219 people dead, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures compiled by AFP. Hamas also took 251 hostages during the assault, with 49 still held in Gaza, including 27 who the Israeli military believes are dead.

In response, Israel launched a major military campaign that has since killed at least 56,531 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The United Nations regards these figures as credible. — AFP