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ALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, marking their second meeting at the White House since Trump began his second term.
This confirmed visit, announced by both a White House official and Netanyahu’s office on Saturday, comes amid Israel’s military operations as they seek to create a new security corridor through Gaza, aimed at increasing pressure on the Hamas militant group. Israel’s defense minister has indicated plans to annex significant areas of Gaza into designated security zones.
Last month, Israel broke a cease-fire with an unexpected strike on Gaza, attempting to force Hamas to agree to new terms for a cease-fire that the White House has endorsed. This escalation has resulted in hundreds of Palestinian deaths.
The Israeli government has pledged to ramp up its military efforts in Gaza until Hamas returns hostages taken during the October 7 attack that ignited the current conflict, disarms, and withdraws from the region. Furthermore, Israel has halted all food, fuel, and humanitarian supply deliveries to Gaza.
Netanyahu’s office released a statement detailing that the agenda for the upcoming meeting with Trump will cover various topics, including tariffs, efforts to secure the release of hostages, Israel-Turkey relations, the Iranian threat, and the situation with the International Criminal Court, which has imposed a 17% tariff on Israel.
Netanyahu currently faces charges from the court related to alleged crimes against humanity in Gaza, while the U.S. does not participate as a member of the court.
Earlier this year, Netanyahu was the first foreign leader to visit the White House during Trump’s second term, where discussions primarily focused on Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas and potential strategies for establishing a cease-fire.
Following their previous meeting, Trump controversially suggested that displaced Palestinians be resettled outside Gaza, with the U.S. potentially assisting in transforming the area into “the Riviera of the Middle East.” This proposal faced significant backlash from Palestinians and drew criticism from Arab nations and human rights groups.
The February meeting also allowed Netanyahu to highlight the strong support of the Trump administration for Israel, while simultaneously deflecting attention from the domestic political challenges he faces.
Domestic pressures have escalated as protests grow among Israelis regarding the government’s failure to secure the return of hostages from Gaza and Netanyahu’s controversial decisions involving the dismissal of key security officials. Additionally, he faces growing calls to take responsibility for the failures that preceded the October 7 attack.
In an emotional statement released on Saturday, families of hostages in Gaza appealed to Trump to “use all your influence to persuade Netanyahu to end this conflict and bring our loved ones home.”
“We are reaching out to President Trump: Netanyahu is misleading when he claims that military pressure will lead to the return of the hostages. The only way to bring them back quickly is to stop the war and facilitate their return all at once,” stated Ifat Calderon, the aunt of hostage Ofer Calderon, during a press conference in Tel Aviv.
Hamas has indicated that it will only consider releasing the remaining 59 hostages — 24 of whom are believed to be alive — in exchange for the release of additional Palestinian prisoners, a lasting cease-fire, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
The October 7 attack resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths in southern Israel, predominantly among civilians. While 251 hostages were initially taken, many have since been released through cease-fire agreements and other negotiations.
In Gaza, more than 50,000 Palestinians have reportedly died during Israel’s military operations, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. In contrast, Israel claims to have killed around 20,000 militants but has yet to provide supporting evidence.
In a related development, authorities have arrested two close associates of Netanyahu this week, accused of accepting funds from Qatar to improve the Gulf Arab state’s image in Israel. Qatar plays a crucial role as a mediator for Hamas in negotiations with Israel, although it denies any support for the militant group. Netanyahu has dismissed these allegations as baseless.
The Prime Minister is also embroiled in a long-standing corruption trial and often speaks out against what he describes as a “deep state” targeting him.
Trump has hinted that his first international trip in his second administration may include visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and possibly the United Arab Emirates, potentially as early as May. He has expressed a desire to recognize Saudi Arabia for its investments in the U.S., asserting that all three Gulf nations would make commitments to create jobs in America during his visit.
—This report includes contributions from Associated Press writers Natalie Melzer in Jerusalem, Darlene Superville in Washington, and Cara Anna.
