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During Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the White House, US President Donald Trump expressed optimism about a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. According to Trump, talks about a ceasefire are going “very well”.
Netanyahu’s visit, his third since the beginning of Trump’s second term, took place while talks between Israel and Hamas are ongoing in Qatar. Qatar is mediating there between delegates from Israel and Hamas, who are not yet speaking directly with each other. “Hamas wants a ceasefire,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
Palestinian sources told news agency Reuters on Monday that Israel’s failure to allow humanitarian aid is the biggest obstacle to an agreement. In addition, there does not yet appear to be agreement on other issues, such as the release of Israeli hostages and the possible dismantling of Hamas.
According to Trump, there is no impasse in the talks. “I think everything is going very well.” Special envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff is traveling to Doha this week to attend the negotiations. Netanyahu will be in Washington until Thursday.
The ceasefire earlier this year survived sixty days, but Israel and Hamas could not agree on an extension at the time. In mid-March, the violence flared up again when both parties accused each other of violating the ceasefire. Since then, Israel has further intensified its military campaign in Gaza and greatly reduced food distribution. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, approximately 56,000 people have died in Gaza since the beginning of the war.
‘Riviera of the Middle East’
Netanyahu said in Washington that Israel, together with the US, is looking for countries that “can offer Palestinians a better future”. He suggested that they could settle in neighboring countries. “If people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave,” Netanyahu said.
Trump suggested the same earlier this year. He said that Gaza could become the ‘Riviera of the Middle East’. That caused international criticism from countries that advocate a two-state solution. Human rights organizations called it a plan for “ethnic cleansing”. Palestinians said they would never leave their homes in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli Prime Minister said on Monday that he “always” wanted to maintain control over the Gaza Strip.