Washington (AP)According to a U.S. administration official, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.
The visit takes place as the U.S. leader has started to increase pressure on the Israeli government to mediate a truce and hostage deal in order to stop the fighting in Gaza.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity and was not permitted to make any public comments regarding the visit, which has not yet been formally confirmed.
Netanyahu’s visit follows Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer’s trip to Washington this week to discuss a truce in Gaza, Iran, and other issues with senior administration officials.
Since the ceasefire to stop the 12-day combat between Israel and Iran took effect a week ago, the president has indicated in public remarks that he is focusing on ending the hostilities between Israel and Hamas.
On Friday, Trump told reporters, “We think we’re going to get a ceasefire in Gaza within the next week,” but he provided no additional justification for his optimism.
Trump and administration officials are in continuous conversation with Israeli leadership, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who stated on Monday that ending the Gaza crisis is a top priority for Trump.
Leavitt continued, “The president wants to see this war end, and it’s heartbreaking to see the images that have come out from both Israel and Gaza throughout this war.” His goal is to save lives.
She said that although no date had been established, White House officials were still working to arrange for Netanyahu to visit Washington again to meet with Trump.
Axios was the first to reveal the visit’s time.
Sign up for the Today newsletter
Receive all the information you require to begin your day, given directly to your inbox each morning.
