Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to the United States on Sunday and is scheduled to meet President Donald Trump in Florida the following day, an Israeli official told AFP. This will be Netanyahu’s fifth visit to meet Trump in 2025.
The trip comes as the Trump administration and regional mediators push to implement the second phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Progress on this stage, which was agreed upon in October, has been slow, with both sides accusing each other of violations.
Under the planned second stage, Israel is expected to withdraw from positions in Gaza, and an interim authority will govern the territory instead of Hamas. The agreement also calls for the deployment of an international stabilization force (ISF) and requires Hamas to disarm, a major challenge in the ongoing negotiations.
Trump had mentioned in mid-December that Netanyahu might visit him in Florida over the Christmas period. “He would like to see me. We haven’t set it up formally, but he’d like to see me,” Trump told reporters before leaving for his Mar-a-Lago resort.
According to Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, the meeting is expected to cover a wide range of regional issues, including Iran, possible security arrangements between Israel and Syria, the ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon, and next steps for the Gaza agreement.
The ceasefire brokered by Washington and regional partners has remained fragile, with mediators warning that both Israel and Hamas may be stalling the process. The Trump administration has reportedly grown frustrated with Netanyahu, who has taken actions seen as undermining the fragile truce.
US news outlet Axios reported that the upcoming meeting is critical to moving the Gaza deal forward. White House officials cited by Axios said the administration hopes to announce the Palestinian technocratic government for Gaza and the deployment of the ISF as soon as possible.
Netanyahu’s visit underscores the continued US role in the Middle East peace process and highlights the challenges of enforcing a ceasefire in Gaza. Observers will be closely watching whether the talks yield progress on disarmament, governance, and stabilization in the region.
