Netanyahu Set to Meet Trump at the White House Amid Ceasefire in Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has received an invitation to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on February 4, amidst a fragile ceasefire in Gaza following the recent conflict sparked by Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing for a significant visit to the White House next week after receiving an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump. According to an official statement from Netanyahu's office, the meeting is scheduled for February 4 and marks the first engagement of a foreign leader with the Trump administration following his second term invitation.

Trump, speaking onboard Air Force One, mentioned that the Israeli PM would be heading to Washington "very soon," though specific details about the visit remain unconfirmed by the Trump administration.

This meeting coincides with a six-week ceasefire that has been established between Israel and Hamas in the aftermath of significant military actions that began on October 7, 2023. During that conflict, over 1,200 individuals in Israel lost their lives due to attacks, while Hamas took 251 hostages. The subsequent Israeli military offensive resulted in more than 47,200 Palestinian fatalities, predominantly among civilians, according to Gaza's health ministry.

In a controversial comment last week, Trump posited that Egypt and Jordan might need to accept Palestinians from Gaza, branding the territory a “demolition site." This suggestion sparked outrage from both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, while Jordan and Egypt have publicly dismissed the notion. The idea of relocating Gazans has been a longstanding agenda among more hardline factions within Netanyahu's government.

As the world watches, the upcoming meeting could have profound implications for US-Israel relations and the ongoing conflict in the region.