Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he "believes there is progress in talks due to military pressure on Hamas." During his meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida, he stated he would send a team to Rome to participate in negotiations for a ceasefire deal. He affirmed that "time will determine if we are closer to a ceasefire agreement."
In turn, Trump emphasized to Netanyahu the "necessity of the immediate release of Israeli hostages." Trump viewed Vice President Kamala Harris's statements regarding Israel as "disrespectful."
Following the meeting with Netanyahu, Trump’s campaign released a statement saying that "Trump will work towards achieving peace in the region if he returns to the White House."
Harris's position on the war in Gaza elicited reactions within Israel, as she told reporters, "We cannot ignore these tragedies. We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to suffering, and I will not be silent," stressing that "the time has come to put an end to the devastating war that has been ongoing in the Gaza Strip for over nine months."
Trump welcomed Netanyahu along with his wife, Sara Netanyahu, during the visit to the United States.
Netanyahu's visit comes as talks aimed at ending the war in Gaza and securing the release of hostages barely continue, with no imminent agreement in sight. Egypt, Qatar, and the United States continue to push Israel and Hamas towards a phased ceasefire agreement that would halt the fighting and secure the release of hostages.
