Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived at the White House on Monday morning to meet with President Donald Trump about the future of Gaza.
The meeting comes after a flurry of diplomatic activity on the heels of the United Nations General Assembly last week, in which President Trump met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other Middle East leaders to also discuss Gaza. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said the Trump administration presented a “21-point plan for peace" in the region, with the president adding that leaders were "getting pretty close to having a deal on Gaza."
Representatives from Hamas, however, claim to have not yet seen such a proposal.
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"The president knows and believes that his is as good of a plan as these sides are going to see and that's why it's 21 points — it's very detailed, it's comprehensive," said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. "The president has been working tirelessly on this."
"Both sides are going to leave a little bit unhappy, but we need this conflict to end," she added. "The president has made that very clear."
Over the weekend, Netanyahu told Fox News that he hopes the plan can move forward, but that it is not yet finalized. His position is that Israel wants to disarm and get rid of Hamas, see all of the hostages freed, and the demilitarization of the territory. Monday’s meeting with Trump could ultimately determine whether an agreement is reached.
"We have a real chance for GREATNESS IN THE MIDDLE EAST," President Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "ALL ARE ON BOARD FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL, FIRST TIME EVER. WE WILL GET IT DONE!!!"
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As part of the plan, President Trump has said he "will not allow" Israel to annex the West Bank — where the Israeli military has aggressively expanded its presence in recent months. Israel's Finance Ministers has previously said he aims to solidify Israel's hold on the territory to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state.
In recent weeks, numerous nations, including some strong U.S. allies such as France and Canada, have backed a two-state solution, which would allow Palestinians to have their own government and territory. This approach has long been opposed by the U.S. and Israel.
