Trump, Netanyahu Meet Again, Move For Gaza Truce

In a second meeting within 24 hours, former U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened behind closed doors at the White House to discuss a possible ceasefire in Gaza.

The unexpected talks, held on the evening of Tuesday, July 8, 2025, lasted just over an hour and occurred as Israeli military operations reportedly claimed the lives of at least 95 Palestinians that same day.

This marked Netanyahu’s third visit to Washington since Trump began his second term in January.

The two leaders had already spent several hours together the previous night during a private dinner, indicating the urgency of the unfolding situation.

Before the meeting, Trump acknowledged the gravity of the conflict.

“Gaza is a tragedy,” he said, emphasizing that both he and Netanyahu, as well as “the other side,” are eager to resolve the crisis.

He confirmed Gaza would be the primary focus of their discussions.

Despite the high-profile nature of the meeting, little information has emerged about the specifics of their conversation.

Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna, reporting from Washington, noted the unusually tight secrecy surrounding the meeting.

“The lack of transparency, brief duration, and absence of a formal statement may suggest unresolved tensions or complications in the negotiations,” Hanna observed.

Just prior to the talks, Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff expressed optimism about the prospects of a ceasefire deal.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting, he revealed that the number of unresolved issues between Israel and Hamas had dropped from four to one.

Witkoff said the U.S. hoped to see an agreement finalized within the week, potentially securing a 60-day truce and the release of ten living hostages and nine deceased individuals held in Gaza.

Yet Netanyahu struck a more guarded tone. During a separate meeting with U.S. lawmakers, he reiterated Israel’s continued military objectives in Gaza.

“We still have to finish the job,” he said, referring to Israel’s ongoing campaign to dismantle Hamas’s military and governance structures.

While he confirmed that ceasefire negotiations were progressing, he stressed that Israel’s goals had not changed.

Reporting from Amman, Jordan, Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh said Israeli media had indicated Netanyahu is under significant pressure from Trump to agree to a ceasefire.

However, no breakthrough has materialized so far.

Odeh also noted a sudden delay in Witkoff’s travel plans to Doha, where key talks with Hamas are expected to take place—despite his earlier optimism.

Reportedly, the remaining sticking point is the question of Israeli troop redeployment.

This issue is especially contentious because Israel reportedly plans to maintain a stronghold in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza.

According to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, the plan involves building a tent city in Rafah to contain and monitor the population.

The ultimate aim, according to Katz, is to relocate the population, raising deep concerns among rights groups and international observers.

The controversial plan would forcibly transfer around 600,000 Palestinians to this makeshift settlement initially, with the broader intention of relocating all 2.1 million residents of Gaza.

Critics fear this amounts to ethnic cleansing under the guise of security.

Annelle Sheline, a Middle East expert at the Quincy Institute, strongly condemned the proposal, likening the planned tent cities to “concentration camps.”

She argued that the Trump administration is unlikely to block such measures and warned of the severe humanitarian and legal consequences.

“This isn’t just about supporting an ally; it’s about facilitating crimes against humanity,” Sheline said.

She added that Trump’s inner circle is unlikely to challenge him, even in the face of such alarming policies.

Throughout his political career, Trump has consistently stood by Netanyahu, even intervening in the Israeli leader’s legal troubles by publicly criticizing the corruption charges against him.

Netanyahu, in turn, has praised Trump for fostering unprecedented levels of U.S.-Israel coordination and even nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The humanitarian toll of Israel’s war in Gaza continues to climb. According to UN estimates, over 57,000 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 137,000 wounded since the conflict escalated.

More than half the population has been displaced, and close to half a million people are now at risk of famine.

The war began after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks that killed 1,139 people in Israel and resulted in over 200 hostages being taken.

As of now, around 50 captives remain in Gaza, with 20 believed to still be alive.

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