JERUSALEM, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet United States President Donald Trump in Florida on Monday, in a high-stakes visit seen as critical to determining the next steps of the fragile Gaza ceasefire agreement.
An Israeli official told AFP that Netanyahu will depart for the US on Sunday, December 28, and hold talks with Trump a day later, marking his fifth visit to the United States this year to meet Israel’s closest ally.
While no specific venue was disclosed, Trump had earlier indicated the meeting would likely take place during the Christmas holidays at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
The visit comes as the Trump administration, alongside regional mediators, pushes Israel and Hamas to move into the second phase of the Gaza truce brokered by Washington and its partners in October. Progress, however, has been slow, with both sides accusing each other of repeated ceasefire violations.
Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the agenda will span several regional flashpoints, including Iran, possible talks on an Israel-Syria security arrangement, the ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the future of the Gaza agreement.
“The timing of the meeting is very significant,” said Gershon Baskin, co-head of the Alliance for Two States peacebuilding commission, who has previously participated in back-channel talks with Hamas. He noted that the first phase of the truce is effectively complete, with only one remaining Israeli deceased hostage unaccounted for.
“Phase two has to begin, and it is already late,” Baskin said, adding that Hamas has had time to re-establish its presence — a situation the US is keen to avoid.
Under the proposed second phase, Israel would withdraw from its positions in Gaza, Hamas would cede control to an interim Palestinian technocratic authority, and an international stabilisation force would be deployed. A key sticking point remains a provision requiring Hamas to disarm.
US outlet Axios reported on Friday that the Trump-Netanyahu meeting is central to advancing the next stages of the deal, with Washington eager to announce the formation of a technocratic Gaza administration and the stabilisation force. Citing White House officials, the report said frustration is growing within the US administration over what it views as Israeli steps that risk undermining the ceasefire.
“There are more and more signs that the American administration is getting frustrated with Netanyahu,” said Yossi Mekelberg, a Middle East analyst at Chatham House. “The question is what it’s going to do about it, because phase two right now is going nowhere.”
Beyond Gaza, analysts say Iran is likely to dominate the talks. Israel has repeatedly warned of Tehran rebuilding its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities following last year’s escalation, which saw Israeli and US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone attacks.
Baskin argued that Netanyahu may be seeking to shift attention from Gaza to Iran, an issue he has long emphasised. Mekelberg added that with Israel heading into an election year, Netanyahu is likely to adopt a defensive posture in Washington.
“Everything is connected to staying in power,” he said.
