Tel Aviv — President Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the second time in two days on Tuesday on the White Home. They mentioned efforts to achieve a ceasefire settlement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and, Netanyahu careworn, to safe the discharge of the 50 Israeli hostages nonetheless regarded as held within the decimated Palestinian territory — 20 of whom the Israeli chief not too long ago mentioned have been nonetheless alive.
Netanyahu, in a video message shared on social media after his second assembly with Mr. Trump, mentioned Israel wouldn’t relent in its mission to “achieve all of our goals,” which he mentioned embody “the elimination of Hamas’s military and governing capabilities, thereby ensuring that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel.”
Delegations from Israel and Hamas, which has lengthy been designated a terrorist group by Israel and the U.S., are in Qatar negotiating over the exact phrases of a possible deal. However whereas the talks proceed, so does the struggle.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seen with President Trump throughout a dinner within the Blue Room of the White Home, July 7, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
Andrew Harnik/Getty
Officers on the Nasser Hospital, within the southern Gaza metropolis of Khan Younis, mentioned Wednesday that 40 folks have been killed in contemporary Israeli airstrikes, together with 17 girls and 10 kids. The Israeli army, which has lengthy accused Hamas of hiding weapons and militants in and beneath civilian infrastructure, mentioned it struck greater than 100 terrorist targets in Gaza over the previous day.
President Trump described the struggle in Gaza this week as a tragedy that he “wants to get solved.” For Gaza’s hungry, displaced inhabitants of greater than 2 million folks, a ceasefire can’t come quickly sufficient.
The proposal at present on the desk ought to, if the main points could be hammered out, allow a right away surge of meals, drugs and different emergency provides into Gaza to alleviate the acute distress and desperation brought on by 21 months of struggle.
It might additionally finish the relentless army strikes — which the Israel Protection Forces insist solely goal Hamas, however which have killed 1000’s of civilians, too, a lot of them girls and kids. In response to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Well being, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures, practically 60,000 folks have been killed within the slim coastal enclave throughout the struggle.
A fireplace burns as Palestinians examine the positioning of Israeli strikes on buildings at Gaza’s Previous Metropolis market, in Gaza Metropolis, July 9, 2025.
Dawoud Abu Alkas/REUTERS
Many Israelis additionally lengthy for a ceasefire. On Tuesday, funerals have been held for 5 younger troopers killed in an explosion in Gaza.
The continued preventing, and the continued captivity of fifty Israelis, is prolonging a nationwide trauma that started with the Hamas-orchestrated terrorist assault on Oct. 7, 2023, which noticed some 1,200 folks murdered and 251 others taken hostage.
One of many Israelis nonetheless believed to be held alive in Gaza is Evyatar David, who was final seen in February when Hamas made him and fellow captive Man Dallal watch as different hostages have been launched throughout a short lived truce.
Ilay mentioned the household always brace themselves for disappointment.
“We kind of learned how to protect our souls,” he mentioned. “And it’s not only us, it’s our nation, which is torn apart.”
The proposed answer at present on the desk, in accordance with an official conversant in the negotiations, would deliver a 60-day ceasefire, throughout which period Hamas would hand over a number of the remaining Israeli hostages, and Israel’s army would halt its offensive and pull again forces from some areas in Gaza.
In an indication that the negotiators could also be near a deal, Mr. Trump’s particular envoy Steve Witkoff is anticipated to return to Qatar this week.
Tucker Reals
contributed to this report.
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