President Donald Trump plans to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday in what would be their second White House sit-down since Trump's return to office.
The visit, confirmed by a White House official Saturday, comes as Israel is setting up a new security corridor across Gaza to pressure Hamas and Netanyahu's defense minister has said Israel would seize large areas of the territory and add them to its so-called security zones. Israeli strikes killed more than a dozen people in Gaza on Friday, a day after attacks killed at least 100 Palestinians.
Hundreds more have died in the past two weeks as Israel has stepped up operations intended to pressure Hamas to release remaining hostages it took during its attack on Israel in October 2023.
Israel has pledged to escalate the war with Hamas until the militant group returns the hostages, disarms and leaves the territory. Israel ended a ceasefire in March and has imposed a halt on all imports of food, fuel and humanitarian aid.
The leaders are expected to focus on the latest Israeli bombardment of Gaza and new U.S. tariffs announced by Trump against Israel and other countries.
Trump's first invitation of his second term to a foreign leader went to Netanyahu, and their Feb. 4 meeting was meant to focus on Israel’s war with Hamas and the next steps as a ceasefire deal took hold.
At a joint news conference, Trump made the surprise proposal that displaced Palestinians in Gaza be permanently resettled outside the territory and he suggested that the United States take “ownership” in redeveloping the area into “the Riviera of the Middle East.” Palestinians objected to leaving their homeland, and Arab nations and rights groups sharply criticized the idea.
Last month, Israel shattered the ceasefire with a surprise bombardment in Gaza after trying to pressure Hamas to accept proposed new terms for the ceasefire. The White House supported the move. Israel also again cut off all supplies to the territory.
That February meeting gave Netanyahu a chance to remind the world of the Trump administration’s support for Israel, defend the conduct of the war and distract from political pressures back home.
Those pressures have only grown as Israelis protest both the lack of a deal to bring remaining hostages home from Gaza and Netanyahu’s moves to fire the head of the country’s domestic security agency and its attorney general. He also faces calls to accept responsibility for his role in failing to prevent the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that sparked the war.
In a statement, relatives of hostages held in Gaza pleaded with Trump to “please use all your power to pressure Netanyahu to end this war and bring our hostages back now.”
Netanyahu is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity in Gaza. The U.S. is not a member of the court.
Trump, meanwhile, says the first foreign trip of his second administration will include stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and possibly the United Arab Emirates and “other places.” The trip could come as soon as May. Trump has said he wants to reward Saudi Arabia for its investment in the U.S. and that all three Gulf countries would be making commitments to creating jobs in the U.S. during his trip.
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