Trump to Hold Joint News Conference with Netanyahu at White House

President Donald Trump will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a joint news conference at the White House on Tuesday, marking Trump’s first joint appearance with a foreign leader since the start of his second term.

Netanyahu, ahead of his trip, highlighted the significance of being the first world leader to visit Washington under Trump’s renewed leadership.

“I think it’s a testimony to the strength of the Israeli-American alliance,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

The visit comes at a crucial moment, as a tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza continues to hold. Mediators have begun negotiations for a second phase of the deal, which aims to secure the release of all remaining hostages and potentially bring an end to the war with Hamas.

Despite the current lull in fighting, Trump expressed skepticism about the ceasefire’s durability.

“I have no assurances that it’ll hold. I mean, I’ve seen people brutalized,” Trump told reporters Monday in the Oval Office. “I have no guarantees that the peace is going to hold.”

Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East envoy who played a key role in brokering the first phase of the ceasefire, provided a more optimistic assessment.

“The agreement is holding so far,” Witkoff said. “We’re certainly hopeful.”

Netanyahu outlined his agenda for the high-stakes meeting, saying discussions would focus on three main objectives:

“Victory over Hamas, achieving the release of all our hostages, and dealing with the Iranian terror axis in all its components.”

The mention of Iran underscores Israel’s broader concerns over Tehran’s support for militant groups in the region, including Hamas and Hezbollah.

Netanyahu’s U.S. trip will also include a meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson, scheduled for Thursday at the U.S. Capitol. The visit is expected to reaffirm Israel’s close ties with the United States and discuss the next steps in the region as ceasefire negotiations continue.

With tensions still high in the Middle East and uncertainty surrounding the long-term viability of the truce, Tuesday’s press conference is expected to shed light on the U.S. and Israeli strategies moving forward.

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