Trump-Netanyahu Meet Twice in One Day in Washington, Urge Ceasefire in Gaza

Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu met for the second time in 24 hours Tuesday as the President intensified the pressure on the Israeli prime minister to reach a deal to end the “tragedy” of the war in Gaza.

Netanyahu’s return to the White House for fresh talks came after Qatari mediators warned it would take time to seal an elusive ceasefire between Israeli and Hamas at talks in Doha. “It’s a tragedy, and he wants to get it solved, and I want to get it solved, and I think the other side wants to,” Trump told reporters as he announced that Netanyahu was coming back.

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said he hoped for an agreement within days. “We are hopeful that by end of this week we will have an agreement that will bring us into a 60-day ceasefire,” Witkoff said.

The deal would include the return of 10 live hostages held by Palestinian groups since Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, and nine dead hostages, Witkoff added.

The Israeli leader, who had dinner with Trump on Monday evening, arrived back at the White House for talks that were being held without any media access. Asked earlier as he met House speaker Mike Johnson if a ceasefire announcement was imminent, Netanyahu replied: “We’re certainly working on it.”

Trump has kept up strong support for Israel, especially over the recent Iran-Israel war, but has also been stepping up the pressure to end what he calls the “hell” in Gaza.