Netanyahu Pushes for Ceasefire and Hostage Deal

(The Post News)- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with U.S. President Donald Trump this week to push for a ceasefire in Gaza and to help secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. The two leaders also talked about the recent joint airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, which they called a major success.

This is Netanyahu’s third trip to the U.S. since Trump returned to office in January. His visit comes as the war between Israel and Hamas nears its second year, and efforts to reach a short-term truce are underway.

According to Axios, a team from Qatar — which is helping mediate between Israel and Hamas — met with top White House officials before Netanyahu arrived. While the White House has not commented on the talks, the meeting is believed to support the push for a ceasefire deal.

Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, told reporters that progress had been made. He said negotiators had reduced their disagreements from four key issues down to one. He was hopeful a deal could be finalized before the end of the week.

The possible agreement includes a 60-day pause in fighting and the release of 10 hostages still alive, along with the remains of nine others who died in captivity.

While in Washington, Netanyahu also met with Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson. He is expected to hold more meetings with leaders in Congress.

After meeting with Johnson, Netanyahu said Israel would keep fighting in Gaza until Hamas can no longer operate. He repeated Israel’s goal of removing Hamas’ power to govern or carry out attacks.

He also made it clear that any ceasefire deal must not risk Israeli security or delay the return of all hostages.

The war began in October 2023 when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli officials.

Today, about 50 hostages remain in Gaza, and around 20 are believed to be alive.

The conflict has caused severe damage in Gaza and led to major humanitarian concerns. International pressure for a pause in the fighting continues to grow.

While the Biden administration previously supported UN-backed efforts, Trump’s government is now taking a more direct approach.

Netanyahu said he also spoke with Trump about broader Middle East issues, including last month’s airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. He called the attacks a clear success and said they had weakened Iran’s influence in the region.

Although the details of the strikes are still secret, Iran has promised to respond and has stepped up threats toward both Israel and the U.S.

Negotiators are now focused on settling the last point of disagreement between Israel and Hamas. U.S. and Israeli officials are hopeful that a short-term ceasefire and hostage release can be agreed to soon.