Netanyahu Visits U.S. to Meet Trump... Launching Phase 2 of Gaza Ceasefire Talks

by Lee Seungjin

Published 02 Feb.2025 19:42(KST)

Updated 03 Feb.2025 07:31(KST)

Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, is scheduled to hold talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington D.C. on the 3rd (local time), CNN reported on the 1st (local time). This will be the first summit held at the White House since President Trump’s re-election.

Netanyahu’s office stated on the same day, "The two leaders will discuss challenges posed by Gaza Strip, hostages, all elements related to Iran, and other major issues."

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Photo by Yonhap News

Breaking precedent, Trump invited world leaders including Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy, to his inauguration on the 20th of last month. However, since the start of his second term, he has not officially met with any world leaders.

During this meeting, Netanyahu will discuss the Gaza Strip issue, including Israeli hostages.

Before departing on the 2nd, Netanyahu told reporters at the airport, "We will address critical issues such as victory over Hamas, the release of all hostages, and Iran’s terror axis threatening the security of Israel, the Middle East, and the entire world."

Israel and the Palestinian armed faction Hamas have entered a six-week ceasefire starting from the 19th of last month, focusing on exchanging 33 surviving hostages and 1,904 Palestinian prisoners.

By the 1st, both sides have conducted four rounds of hostage and prisoner exchanges.

This meeting was arranged after President Trump proposed a plan regarding the Gaza Strip that involves "cleansing" the area and relocating hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to neighboring countries, a proposal that major Arab nations have firmly rejected.