Israeli PM Netanyahu says he believes Trump can help seal a ceasefire deal
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Israeli negotiators taking part in the ceasefire talks have clear instructions to achieve a ceasefire agreement under conditions that Israel has accepted, Netanyahu said on Sunday before boarding his flight to Washington.
'I believe the discussion with President Trump can certainly help advance these results,' he said, adding that he was determined to ensure the return of hostages held in Gaza and to remove the threat of Hamas to Israel.
It will be Netanyahu's third visit to the White House since Trump returned to power nearly six months ago.
Public pressure is mounting on Netanyahu to secure a permanent ceasefire and end the war in Gaza, a move opposed by some hardline members of his right-wing coalition. Others, including Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, have expressed support.
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Palestinian group Hamas said on Friday it had responded to a US-backed Gaza ceasefire proposal in a 'positive spirit', a few days after Trump said Israel had agreed 'to the necessary conditions to finalise' a 60-day truce.
But in a sign of the potential challenges still facing the two sides, a Palestinian official from a militant group allied with Hamas said concerns remained over humanitarian aid, passage through the Rafah crossing in southern Israel to Egypt and clarity over a timetable for Israeli troop withdrawals.
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