Trump, Netanyahu Set for Second White House Meeting as Gaza Ceasefire Talks Continue

WASHINGTON— US President Donald Trump announced that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would return to the White House on Tuesday for a second round of talks aimed at ending the ongoing war in Gaza, as Qatari mediators cautioned that negotiations would still require more time to reach a breakthrough.

The renewed diplomatic push follows a Monday meeting between Trump and Netanyahu and comes amid efforts led by the US, Qatar, and Egypt to secure a 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

“It’s a tragedy, and he (Netanyahu) wants to get it solved, and I want to get it solved, and I think the other side wants to,” Trump told reporters during a cabinet meeting, emphasizing the urgency of ending what he called the “hell” in Gaza.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that Netanyahu, currently on his third trip to Washington since Trump returned to office, will meet with the US president again at 4:30 p.m. (2030 GMT). Netanyahu is also scheduled to meet with US congressional leaders during his visit.

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, who is set to join the Doha-based talks later this week, expressed cautious optimism during the cabinet meeting. “We are hopeful that by end of this week we will have an agreement that will bring us into a 60-day ceasefire,” Witkoff said. He added that the deal would include the release of 10 live hostages and the return of the bodies of nine deceased captives.

Meanwhile, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said Tuesday that despite ongoing indirect negotiations in Doha, a final agreement would take more time. “I don’t think that I can give any timeline at the moment, but I can say right now that we will need time for this,” Al-Ansari said.

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