Trump 'very confident' of Gaza deal as he hosts Netanyahu
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump voiced optimism on Monday (Sep 29) about the chances of securing a Gaza deal as he welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House.
"I am, I'm very confident," Trump told reporters as he greeted Netanyahu, repeating the phrase when asked if all sides backed his 21-point plan to end the nearly two-year war in Gaza, free hostages held by Hamas and disarm the Palestinian group.
The US president met key Arab leaders at the United Nations last week and wrote on Sunday on social media that "ALL ARE ON BOARD FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL, FIRST TIME EVER".
But Netanyahu has given little sign of compromise, vowing in a defiant UN address on Friday to "finish the job" against Hamas and rejecting Palestinian statehood – recently recognised by several Western nations.
The White House said Trump and Netanyahu would hold a joint news conference at 1.15pm (1715 GMT), suggesting Trump hopes to announce a breakthrough.
"To reach a good deal, a reasonable deal for both sides, both sides have to give up a little bit and might leave the table a little bit unhappy," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News.
HAMAS HAS NOT RESPONDED TO PLAN
Trump's plan, according to reports in The Times of Israel and Axios, calls for an immediate ceasefire, a phased Israeli withdrawal and the release of hostages within 48 hours. Israel would then free more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including several serving life terms.
Normally a staunch ally of Netanyahu, Trump has shown signs of frustration ahead of the Israeli premier's fourth White House visit since his return to power. He was angered by Israel’s recent strike on Hamas members in Qatar, a close US ally, and last week warned Netanyahu against annexing the occupied West Bank – a demand from some far-right members of his governing coalition.
Netanyahu’s government relies on those ministers, who oppose a peace deal. Both Israel and Arab states are still debating aspects of Trump’s proposal, including the role of the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority and any international security force in post-war Gaza.
"The likelihood of ... a reformed Palestinian Authority that changes completely its stripes, that accepts a Jewish state ... well, good luck," Netanyahu told Fox News on Sunday.
VOICES FROM GAZA
Israeli strikes continued in the Gaza Strip on Monday, killing at least four people in Khan Younis, according to the Hamas-run civil defence agency.
Families of Israeli hostages urged Trump to hold firm. "We respectfully ask you to stand firm against any attempts to sabotage the deal you have brought forth," the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in an open letter.
In Gaza, residents expressed a mix of hope and scepticism.
"I don't expect anything from Trump, because Trump supports Netanyahu in destroying the Gaza Strip and displacing people to carry out the Riviera project," said Mohammed Abu Rabee, 34, referring to Trump’s earlier proposal to transform the territory into the "Riviera of the Middle East".
The outcome may depend on how much pressure Trump applies, said Natan Sachs, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute.
"Netanyahu has a clear preference for continuing the war and defeating Hamas, but I don't think it's impossible for Trump to convince him otherwise," he told AFP.
The war was triggered by Hamas’s Oct 7, 2023 attack that killed 1,219 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to official figures. Israel’s response has killed 66,055 Palestinians, also mostly civilians, according to health authorities in Hamas-run Gaza, figures the United Nations deems reliable.
