R-L: Trump, Netanyahu.
By Greg Kerry
U.S. President Donald Trump is hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for talks at the White House on Tuesday.
Israel’s ceasefire with Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip is at the top of the agenda.
The talks come at a key phase in the ceasefire.
Israel and Hamas have less than four weeks to agree on the terms of the second phase.
The phase would include the release of all remaining hostages held in Gaza, a permanent halt in fighting and Israel’s withdrawal from the territory.
“I have no guarantees that the peace is going to hold,” Trump has told reporters earlier on Monday.
Ahead of the White House visit, Netanyahu had met on Monday with U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
Witkoff was part of the push to secure the ceasefire deal.
Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that the meeting was “positive and friendly.”
It added that Netanyahu would meet with his Security Cabinet upon returning from the U.S.
According to the statement, this will enable him to “discus Israel’s overall positions regarding the second stage of the deal.”
Witkoff is expected to hold talks with Qatari and Egyptian officials as the three countries continue in their role of mediating the halt in fighting.
