US President Donald Trump yesterday met for a second time in two days with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss Gaza as Trump’s Middle East envoy said Israel and Hamas were closing their differences on a ceasefire deal.
Netanyahu arrived at the White House shortly before 5pm EDT for a meeting that was not expected to be open to the Press. The two men met for several hours during a dinner at the White House on Monday during the Israeli leader’s third US visit since the president began his second term on January 20.
Netanyahu met Vice President JD Vance and then visited the US Capitol yesterday. He told reporters after a meeting with the Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson that while he did not think Israel’s campaign in the Palestinian enclave was done, negotiators are “certainly working” on a ceasefire.
“We have still to finish the job in Gaza, release all our hostages, eliminate and destroy Hamas’ military and government capabilities,” Netanyahu said.
Shortly after Netanyahu spoke, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, said the issues keeping Israel and Hamas from agreeing had dropped to one from four and he hoped to reach a temporary ceasefire agreement this week.
l British foreign minister David Lammy yesterday stressed the need for a ceasefire in Gaza, saying that London will go further in its measures against Israel if the situation continues.
“We have to get the ceasefire,” he told a parliamentary committee of legislators. Asked if he would take further measures against Israel if the situation in Gaza continued, he said: “Yes. Yes, we will.”
l The Israeli military said yesterday it had struck “key” figure from Hamas near the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, the first targeted killing in the area for several months.
In a statement, Israel’s military did not give the identity of the targeted person.
Lebanese state media said a car had been hit near Tripoli and the health ministry reported two people were killed and three others wounded, without identifying them.
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