'I'm very confident': Trump pushes for Gaza peace proposal in talks with Netanyahu | Watch video
Netanyahu visited United States and met Trump on Monday. The US President was ‘very confident’ on peace in Gaza soon. This is Israeli PM's fourth visit since Trump returned to office in January.
Donald Trump met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the West Wing of the White House on September 29 for pivotal conversations surrounding Gaza peace proposal intended to bring an end to a conflict that has lasted nearly two years, Reuters reported.
The United States President said that he was “very confident” on peace in Gaza soon.
Netanyahu arrived by limousine and was welcomed by Trump with a handshake, a sharp contrast to the cold response he received on Friday at the UN General Assembly, where many delegates walked out in protest.
During his fourth visit since Trump returned to office in January, Netanyahu aimed to strengthen Israel’s most crucial alliance, following a wave of Western leaders formally recognising Palestinian statehood last week, moves that defied both the US and Israel.
Trump, who harshly condemned those recognitions as rewarding Hamas, was pushing Netanyahu to agree to a framework to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of the remaining hostages held by militants, according to the report.
The move signaled an intensified diplomatic push by the president, who had promised during his 2024 campaign to swiftly end the conflict and has since repeatedly asserted that a resolution was close, though such a deal has yet to come to fruition.
Last week, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Washington unveiled a 21-point peace proposal to Arab and Muslim nations. On Monday, Trump focused primarily on narrowing the remaining differences with Netanyahu, the report noted. While Netanyahu lauds Trump as Israel's strongest ally, there are indications of Israeli doubts about the proposal, along with some hesitations from Arab countries, the report added.
Past US-supported ceasefire attempts collapsed
The plan, developed by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who advised Trump on the Middle East during his first term, calls for a ceasefire agreement, the release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas within 48 hours, and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Past US-supported ceasefire attempts have collapsed because they couldn't close the divide between Israel and Hamas, while Netanyahu has pledged to keep fighting until Hamas is fully defeated.
Meanwhile, Israeli tanks advanced further into Gaza City on Monday, as Israel carried out one of its most extensive offensives of the war this month. Netanyahu has stated that his goal is to eliminate Hamas in its last strongholds.
(With inputs from Reuters)