Benjamin Netanyahu visits Donald Trump in Washington as Gaza ceasefire talks advance
Israel and Hamas earlier held indirect talks for a second day in Qatar. A source familiar with those discussions told The National that any progress towards a ceasefire would be announced by Mr Trump during Mr Netanyahu's visit.
Mr Netanyahu's visit is his third US trip since Mr Trump took office in January. He was scheduled to meet special envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Previous meetings between Mr Trump and Mr Netanyahu have included a welcome in the Oval Office in front of the world's press. This trip's initial meeting, a dinner on Monday, will be closed to the public.
The meeting comes after Mr Trump last month joined Israel's war against Iran, striking three nuclear sites. He now wants to see an end to the 21-month-old war in Gaza.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages.
Israel launched a massive military offensive in Gaza in response, which has killed more than 57,500 Palestinians and reduced much of the coastal territory to rubble.
Talks on a permanent end to the war – which would include a full Israeli withdrawal – are expected to begin as soon as a ceasefire goes into effect.
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