Amid rising Gaza casualties and stalled negotiations, Trump meets Netanyahu to push forward a US-brokered truce — but doubts grow over intentions and outcomes.
Despite a lack of concrete progress in Gaza ceasefire negotiations, US President Donald Trump has said talks are “going along very well,” following his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on Monday evening.
Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, held in Qatar, are set to resume Tuesday. But a Palestinian source familiar with the talks told the BBC there has been no breakthrough: “Not even an inch.” The source accused Israel of participating merely to “listen” without a mandate to negotiate, adding that Hamas is beginning to question Israel’s sincerity.
Ceasefire Optimism vs. Ground Reality
Speaking to reporters during a dinner with Netanyahu, Trump expressed hope for an imminent agreement. “Hamas want to meet and they want to have that ceasefire,” he claimed. Meanwhile, a senior Israeli official echoed cautious optimism, stating that a deal was “80–90%” aligned with previous negotiation goals but still “requires pressure and patience.”
The proposed US-backed deal involves a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and 18 bodies. In return, Israel would free an unspecified number of Palestinian detainees and partially withdraw from Gaza, where it currently holds two-thirds of the territory.
Yet on the ground, the conflict rages. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported five soldiers killed in northern Gaza’s Beit Hanoun by what media called a roadside bomb. Hamas later claimed responsibility for what it termed a “blow” to Israeli forces. The Hamas-run health ministry also reported 52 Palestinians killed in the past 24 hours.
Disputed Resettlement and International Concerns
The Trump-Netanyahu meeting also touched on controversial resettlement proposals for Palestinians in Gaza. Trump claimed regional support for plans to allow voluntary relocation, while Netanyahu said he was exploring countries willing to accept Gazan Palestinians.
“If people want to stay, they can stay,” Netanyahu stated. “But if they want to leave, they should be able to leave.” These proposals have drawn sharp condemnation from Arab leaders, the United Nations, and Western governments, with the UN warning that forced transfers could amount to “ethnic cleansing.”
Israel’s defense minister reportedly ordered the military to prepare a plan to move Gaza’s 2 million residents into a southern camp after security screening — a strategy Israeli human rights lawyers are calling “a crime against humanity.”
Meanwhile, Netanyahu reaffirmed his rejection of full Palestinian statehood: “It’s not a complete state… We don’t care.”
Nobel Nomination and Future Moves
In a symbolic gesture, Netanyahu announced he had nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, praising his efforts to “forge peace” in the Middle East.
While the ceasefire talks remain fragile, broader diplomacy appears to be in motion. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said a meeting with Iran was planned “within the next week,” with Trump hinting at a possible easing of sanctions on Tehran.
This is Netanyahu’s third White House visit since Trump’s return to power nearly six months ago, but their first meeting since the US joined Israel in targeting Iranian nuclear sites — an action followed by a short-lived ceasefire between the two regional powers.
As Trump seeks to cement his role as a regional peacemaker and secure a diplomatic win ahead of domestic political cycles, many remain skeptical that real progress — or peace — is within reach.