Trump Hosts Netanyahu at White House as Momentum Builds for Gaza Ceasefire

Latest Developments

Trump Pushing Gaza Ceasefire: For the third time since taking office, President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on July 7 as the U.S. leader bolstered his effort to secure a ceasefire in Gaza. Trump said that current talks in Qatar to end hostilities are “going along very well,” without specifying when an agreement might be reached. Several media outlets reported that the core disagreement between Israel and the Hamas terror organization — whether a deal will be a temporary pause, as favored by Israel, or a permanent end to the war, as favored by Hamas — remains unresolved.
‘Tremendous Success Together’ on Iran: Trump and Netanyahu also reviewed the recent conflict with Iran, which saw U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities following more than a week of extensive targeted bombing by Israel. “We had tremendous success together,” Trump said. “And I think it will only go on to be even greater success in the future.” Netanyahu, who announced that he was nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, hailed a “historic victory” that “has already changed the face of the Middle East,” emphasizing that “Iran is out of the picture. So I think this presents opportunities for stability, for security and eventually for peace.”
Netanyahu Meets Senior Diplomats, Congressional Leaders: Netanyahu’s four-day visit to Washington, DC, will include a second meeting with Trump in the evening of July 8. Prior to his first meeting with Trump, Netanyahu met with Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio. On the morning of July 8, the Israeli premier met with Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson in advance of further meetings with Senate leaders in the afternoon.

FDD Expert Response

“An end to the war in Gaza would represent a major foreign policy victory for President Trump. It would also align with a broader strategic agenda that includes expanding the Abraham Accords and securing a potential nuclear agreement with Iran. If the United States succeeds in brokering a ceasefire in Gaza, persuading additional Arab or Muslim-majority nations to normalize relations with Israel, and securing a credible nuclear agreement with Iran, it will constitute a landmark diplomatic achievement with far-reaching benefits for both the United States and Israel.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal

“For well over a decade, Netanyahu’s critics said that he was too timid and indecisive to strike Iran’s nuclear program. Now, the Israeli Prime Minister is taking a victory lap at the White House, showing how his patience and Israeli ingenuity helped eliminate Israel’s biggest threat, at least for the time being. The next test will be converting these battlefield successes into durable political victories.” — David May, FDD Research Manager and Senior Research Analyst