In US, President Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu are set to meet today in Washington. The talks will focus on extending a fragile truce between Israel and Hamas, which has allowed for the release of hostages.
The leaders will also discuss potential Israel-Saudi Arabia relations and Iran’s nuclear programme. Netanyahu faces pressure at home from his hard-right coalition to end the ceasefire and resume military action in Gaza, while many Israelis want hostages freed and the 15-month-long conflict now to end.
It’s Netanyahu’s first travel outside Israel since the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against him in November, his former defence minister and Hamas’ military chief, accusing them of crimes against humanity during the war in Gaza.
Netanyahu’s government is divided over the truce. Coalition partner Bezalel Smotrich has threatened to collapse the government if the war is not restarted. Meanwhile, Hamas demanded an end to the war and Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza before agreeing to release more hostages.
