US President Donald Trump met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago in Florida to push momentum on a US-brokered Gaza ceasefire, whose progress has slowed ahead of a more complex second phase.
This comes after Netanyahu also met Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The truce, which began in October following the two-year anniversary of the Hamas-led attack that killed about 1200 people and saw 251 hostages taken, has mostly held, though both sides accuse each other of violations and divisions have emerged between the US, Israel and Arab nations on the next steps.
Netanyahu has signalled caution while the remains of Ran Gvili remain in Gaza, and Trump is expected to also discuss Iran, whose nuclear capabilities he insists were “completely and fully obliterated” after US strikes in June.
Analysts warn that agreement on Trump’s 20-point UN-backed plan, including rebuilding a demilitarised Gaza under international supervision and possible steps toward Palestinian independence, will be difficult, with Mona Yacoubian saying, “This is going to be a really tall order, I think, for President Trump to get Netanyahu to agree.”
Key challenges include forming an International Stabilisation Force, disarming Hamas, and finalising Palestinian governance and reconstruction arrangements, as regional governments debate the mandate and pace of the next phase.
Source: 9News.
