Israel wants to take advantage of its overwhelming military superiority, the silence of the international community, and the almost unwavering support of the US to completely eliminate the military and political structure of Hamas in Gaza and to expel as much of the civilian population as possible. Hamas, clearly overpowered but not completely defeated, wants the US to push Benjamin Netanyahu to sign a lasting peace. And the President of the United States, after a week of good achievements (from NATO to Iran, passing through the approval of his long-awaited tax law) wants to announce a ceasefire that reinforces his "peacemaker" profile and, why not, consolidates his aspirations for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Within this framework, Trump received the Israeli Prime Minister at the White House on Monday. Netanyahu's first words were precisely to praise his "great friend" and show him the letter he sent to the Nobel Prize Committee proposing his candidacy for "successes in the region." This moved the president, who throughout the public appearance left the strategic analysis of the situation in the hands of his guest, nodding in agreement with his analysis on how security in the area cannot be left in the hands of a Palestinian authority.
There are many topics on the agenda for this visit, including the situation in Iran, Yemen, or Syria, or the possible extension of the Abraham Accords. But above all, at least on paper, Gaza. The White House wants an end to hostilities, but not for the same reasons as the civilian population or the UN. Trump remains convinced that the US can take control of the strip and turn it into a luxurious and peaceful destination, even if it means expelling hundreds of thousands or millions of people. "I think President Trump had a brilliant vision. It's called free choice,. You know, if people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave. It shouldn't be a prison. We're working with the United States very closely about finding countries that will seek to realize what they always say they wanted - to give the Palestinians a better future. And ... I think we're getting close to finding several countries." Netanyahu said, without any of the American officials in the room disagreeing or qualifying the position.
It has been reported that the think tank of former Prime Minister Tony Blair has been advising on a post-war project in Gaza that includes the creation of a "Trump Riviera," as the president and his son-in-law have been outlining for years, and even an industrial zone that would bear the name of Elon Musk. The project, led by Israeli entrepreneurs with the models of the American consulting firm Boston Consulting Group (BCG), depends entirely on the president's will. And on the cessation of bombings.
More than 57,000 people have died in the strip according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. And about 50 hostages remain kidnapped, nearly 20 of them alive, according to Israeli authorities. On Sunday, some specific details of the Gaza ceasefire proposal that is on the table and has a chance of success began to emerge, after several failures. To make it more palatable, Trump wants to wrap it within a broader geopolitical and diplomatic package, which would provide Tel Aviv with more stability in the region, something akin to an extension of the Abraham Accords, more recognition, and less tension.
Asked about the possibility of a lasting solution, with two states, Trump delegated the response to his friend, and nodded in agreement with his words. "I believe that Palestinians should have all the power to govern themselves, but none of them should threaten us. And that means that certain powers like overall security will always remain in our hands., that is a fact, and no one in Israel will accept anything different because we do not commit suicide. We want life, we value life for ourselves and for our neighbors, and I believe we can achieve peace between us and all of the Middle East with President Trump's leadership and working together," he stated. "But it is unlikely that people will say 'give them another state' after what happened on October 7, because it would be a platform to destroy Israel. We work for peace with our Palestinian neighbors, those who do not want to destroy, and we devise a plan where our security, the sovereignty of security, will always be in our hands. People will say it is not a complete state. It's not that we don't care, but we swear that never again. Never again is now. It will not happen again," he added firmly.
While Netanyahu travels to Washington, his negotiators were heading to Qatar to meet with representatives of Hamas. There are 20 hostages that are alive, 30 dead. I am determined, we are determined, to bring them all back. And we will also be determined to ensure that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel," Netanyahu said before departing, emphasizing the absolute priority of eliminating the military and political power of Hamas in Gaza. Both sides have reached two short-lived ceasefires in the past. The most recent, which Israel ended in mid-March, allowed for the release of over 1500 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 30 hostages and the bodies of eight others.
According to a draft obtained by AP, during the new 60-day ceasefire, Hamas would hand over 10 live hostages and 18 dead in exchange for the release of dozens of prisoners, for Israeli forces to withdraw to a containment zone along the borders of Gaza with Israel and Egypt, and for the entry of humanitarian aid to be allowed. The document indicates that the aid would be distributed by UN agencies and the Palestinian Red Crescent, but does not specify what would happen to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the American organization that has been distributing food aid since May and has been at the center of controversy in recent days, after dozens of Palestinians have been shot by security contractors overseeing that process. "A terrible incident," said senior US officials.
The proposal, according to that preliminary document, which Netanyahu has also discussed with Trump's special envoy for the region, Steve Witkoff, and with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, does not guarantee a permanent end to the war, as Hamas demands, but indicates that during the 60-day ceasefire, the issue would be intensively negotiated, and that Trump would guarantee "Israel's adherence to the cessation of military operations," also in exchange for taking credit and announcing the ceasefire agreement on social media himself. "We have the opportunity to achieve a peace agreement in Gaza. I hope it happens soon," Witkoff said from the White House gardens.
Today marks the third visit of the Prime Minister to the White House since Trump took office on January 20 and comes just weeks after he achieved one of his most coveted goals since the mid-90s: having an American administration bomb Iran. Netanyahu has spent 30 years pressuring all of Trump's predecessors, claiming that Tehran was on the verge of obtaining a nuclear weapon. And Trump, who had most clearly criticized his country's military incursions in the Middle East in the past, was nevertheless the one who was swayed.