Israeli PM in Washington, DC for talks
Benjamin Netanyahu is in the US, where he is set to begin talks on a second phase of the ceasefire with Hamas.
Before boarding his flight in Tel Aviv on Sunday, the Israeli prime minister said he would discuss “victory over Hamas”, countering Iran and freeing all the captives when he meets US President Donald Trump on Tuesday.
It will be Trump’s first meeting with a foreign leader since returning to the White House two weeks ago, a prioritisation Netanyahu described as “telling”. “I think it’s a testimony to the strength of the Israeli-American alliance,” he told reporters.
Netanyahu said Israel’s wartime decisions had reshaped the Middle East and that with Trump’s support, this could go even further. “I believe that working closely with President Trump, we can redraw it even further and for the better.”
Iran rejects Trump’s ‘ethnic cleansing’ plan, Israeli ‘genocide’ expanding
The Iranian Foreign Ministry says Trump’s self-described plan to “clean out” Gaza would amount to “ethnic cleansing” and must not be implemented as Netanyahu pushes for it in Washington.
Spokesman Esmail Baghaei told reporters during a weekly news conference that the international community should help Palestinians “secure their right to self-determination” instead of the plan to forcibly displace them to Jordan and Egypt.
He said Iran will be closely monitoring Netanyahu’s US trip in terms of its impact on issues surrounding the war on Gaza.
“Despite the ceasefire in Gaza, crimes and massacres in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank are continuing. As the UN has warned as well, it appears the genocide is slated to continue in the West Bank and the crimes are set to be repeated.”
The comments come two days after Arab foreign ministers also rejected the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza “under any circumstances or justifications”.
Second phase of Gaza ceasefire: What to know
Negotiations are set to begin on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
- This stage includes the exchange of the remaining Israeli captives in Gaza for more Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
- During this phase, Israeli forces are expected to completely withdraw from Gaza, as part of their commitment to de-escalate.
- And finally, the parties are due to discuss the establishment of a permanent ceasefire, signalling a long-term effort to halt the war.
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