Netanyahu Heads to Washington to Meet Trump and Discuss "Calming Gaza"

SadaNews - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to the American capital, Washington, on Sunday, for his third visit to the United States in half a year, where he will meet with American President Donald Trump, who is seeking to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza that includes a prisoner exchange deal.

According to Israeli reports, the visit will address a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire, which includes the phased release of Israeli prisoners and facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Sources indicate that the American initiative later aims to launch negotiations to end the war and open the door to broader regional political dialogue.

Israeli media revealed that Tel Aviv has decided to send a negotiating delegation to Doha after receiving a response from Hamas to the American proposal. A senior Israeli official confirmed that the decision has been formally made, with expectations for the delegation to depart today, Sunday.

Although Israel has not fully agreed to Hamas's response, it considered it a step from which to start, describing some points in it as "constructive."

Israel has witnessed intense political discussions prior to Netanyahu's departure, amid intensive American efforts to achieve a breakthrough in the negotiations. Reports suggest that Trump intends to play a direct and fundamental role in pushing towards the agreement this time, stating in a post that "the situation will not improve, but will worsen" if a deal is not reached.

Sources mentioned that Trump’s envoys held meetings with Israeli officials and presented a copy of the American proposal to the Qatari side, aiming to expedite the negotiation process during Netanyahu's visit or at least to initiate a sustainable negotiating track.

On the military front, Washington and Tel Aviv are discussing enhancing cooperation, with a new agreement proposal that includes supplying Israel with precise weapons for defensive and offensive systems. The American message carries a crucial content: "Completing the deal guarantees security, while failure may lead to alternative options."

Although Netanyahu has previously obstructed similar deals, Israeli estimates indicate that he is more open to them this time, due to internal political and security motives. He was reported to have shown a tendency towards a calming option instead of escalation during the recent deliberations.