The Trump administration is eyeing an growth of the Abraham Accords, hoping to convey new nations into the settlement, and the rebuilding of Gaza, senior administration officers mentioned earlier than the commander in chief’s assembly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The assembly is ready to happen on the White Home on Tuesday afternoon, adopted by a joint press convention with President Donald Trump and Netanyahu. The assembly and the joint press convention would be the first Trump has held with a world chief since taking workplace once more in January.
ISRAEL’S NETANYAHU DEPARTS FOR US TO MEET WITH TRUMP, HOPING TO STRENGTHEN TIES WITH WASHINGTON
The 2 leaders are anticipated to debate sustaining ceasefire offers and a joint dedication to releasing hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, senior administration officers mentioned.
Officers mentioned Trump is targeted on getting all hostages out and guaranteeing Hamas can not proceed to manipulate.
Former President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Seashore, Florida, in July 2024. (Alex Brandon/The Related Press)
Trump and Netanyahu are additionally anticipated to debate the second part of talks on the Gaza ceasefire and hostage launch deal.
“There will be unity in how they intend to pursue that,” one official mentioned.
Past the ceasefire settlement, the president is predicted to boost the problem of rebuilding Gaza.
A senior administration official mentioned Trump sees Gaza as a “demolition site,” and thinks it’s “inhumane to force people to live” there in its present state.
Officers mentioned Trump expects it to take between 10 and 15 years to rebuild Gaza, however mentioned the rebuild will not be one thing the U.S. goes to resolve unilaterally.
In the meantime, senior administration officers mentioned the president hopes for an growth of the Abraham Accords, which had been brokered in the course of the first Trump administration.
The Abraham Accords was a historic peace settlement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates that normalized relations and created bilateral agreements concerning “investment, tourism, direct flights, security, telecommunications, technology, energy, health care, culture, the environment, the establishment of reciprocal embassies, and other areas of mutual benefit.”
Benjamin Netanyahu leaves Israel for a gathering with President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., February 2025. (Prime Minister’s Workplace)
“We obviously hope that the expansion of the Abraham Accords will continue and flourish, in this administration,” a senior administration official mentioned, including that the president sees “an opportunity throughout the region and throughout the world, to, to bring more countries into Abraham Accords.”
THIRD ROUND OF HOSTAGE RELEASES BEGINS AS PART OF HAMAS’ GAZA CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT WITH ISRAEL
“It’s going to take time. It’s not going to happen overnight. But that’s certainly on the top of the agenda,” the official mentioned.
In 2018, the Trump administration moved the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem – a relocation lengthy debated in Washington – and one which confirmed the U.S. formally recognizing Jerusalem because the capital of Israel.
Additionally in the course of the first Trump administration, the president acknowledged Israeli sovereignty of the Golan Heights and withdrew the U.S. from the U.N. Human Rights Council.
The assembly between Trump and Netanyahu is the primary since July, when Netanyahu visited Trump’s Mar-a-Lago in Palm Seashore, Florida.
That assembly got here in the course of the Israeli prime minister’s go to to the U.S. Throughout that go to, Netanyahu addressed Congress and met with former President Joe Biden to satisfy with households of American hostages held hostage by Hamas.
There are at present 79 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, together with six twin U.S.-Israeli residents.
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are anticipated to debate sustaining ceasefire offers and a joint dedication to releasing hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, senior administration officers mentioned. (Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO)/Handout/Anadolu by way of Getty Photos)
Netanyahu, upon touring to the U.S., mentioned of Trump: “The fact that this will be his first meeting with a leader of a foreign country since his inauguration holds great significance for the State of Israel.”
“First of all, it indicates the strength of the alliance between Israel and the United States. Secondly, it also reflects the strength of our connection; a connection that has already yielded great things for the State of Israel and the region, and has also brought about the historic peace agreements between Israel and four Arab countries – the ‘Abraham Accords’ that President Trump led,” the prime minister mentioned.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
This comes practically 16 months after the battle in Gaza started, prompted by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, assault in opposition to Israel, resulting in navy retaliation from Israeli forces.
“The decisions we made during the war, combined with the bravery of our IDF soldiers, have already changed the face of the Middle East,” Netanyahu mentioned.
“They have changed it beyond recognition. I believe that with hard work alongside President Trump, we can change it even more for the better,” he mentioned.
Fox Information’ Landon Mion, Yael Rotem-Kuriel and The Related Press contributed to this report.
