What happened in Netanyahu's meeting with Trump?
Trump: US will take over Gaza, develop it, create thousands of jobs for 'everybody • Netanyahu: Peace with Saudi Arabia is 'going to happen'
WATCH: Trump and Netanyahu's White House press conference begins
WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have begun a joint press conference following their Oval Office meeting.
Go to the full article >>Five female observers used as human shields for senior Hamas official - KAN
The five hostages were held for extended periods of time in an apartment in Gaza City where the senior Hamas official was staying.
The five female observers released recently from captivity in Gaza were used as human shields for a senior member of Hamas's military wing, KAN reported on Tuesday evening.
The five hostages, Liri Albag, Daniela Gilboa, Karina Ariev, Naama Levy and Agam Berger, were held for extended periods of time in an apartment in Gaza City where the senior Hamas official was staying.
Go to the full article >>Waltz, Witkoff discuss Gaza ceasefire, reconstruction with Netanyahu
Witkoff said the White House is trying to be transparent with negotiators and pushed back on the characterization of Trump calling for the clearing out of Gaza, saying Trump views it as humanitarian.
Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz addressed reporters in front of the White House a few hours prior to US President Trump’s Oval Office meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying Tuesday marked day 17 of phase two of the ceasefire and hostage release deal.
Go to the full article >>Syrian President: We must pressure Israel to withdraw from occupied Golan
During a joint press conference on Tuesday with Turkey's President Erdogan, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said stressed the need to "create international pressure on Israel so that it withdraws from the occupied area in southern Syria and so that it implements the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement."
Middle East envoy Witkoff: 'We're in phase two of negotiations'
Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff addressed reporters in front of the White House a few hours prior to US President Trump’s Oval Office meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying Tuesday marked day 17 of phase two of the ceasefire and hostage release deal.
“We’re in phase two now,” Witkoff said.
Witkoff also said he will be meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Florida on Thursday.
Go to the full article >>US officials defend Trump's call for Gaza relocation amid backlash
Trump's comments revived long-standing Palestinian fears of being permanently driven from their homes.
US officials defended President Donald Trump's suggestion that more Palestinians in war-shattered Gaza relocate to neighboring countries but insisted he was trying to look at the problem realistically and not imposing a solution.
Go to the full article >>Trump expected to reimpose 'maximum pressure' on Iran, official says
As part of the maximum pressure effort, the Trump administration will implement a campaign "aimed at driving Iran's oil exports to zero," the official said.
US President Donald Trump is expected to sign a presidential memorandum on Tuesday that restores his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran and aims to deny Iran all paths to a nuclear weapon, a US official said.
The move brings back the tough US policy on Iran that Trump, a Republican, practiced throughout his first term. Trump has accused his Democratic predecessor, former president Joe Biden, of weakening US resolve toward Iran.
The official told Reuters that Trump's directive orders the US Treasury secretary to impose "maximum economic pressure" on Iran, including sanctions and enforcement mechanisms on those violating existing sanctions.
As part of the maximum pressure effort, the Trump administration will implement a campaign "aimed at driving Iran's oil exports to zero," the official said.
Go to the full article >>Trump, Netanyahu to meet later today: Here is what they will discuss
US president, prime minister expected to 'share unity' on Gaza hostage deal and Saudi normalization, senior administration official says.
US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will share "some unity" in how the US and Israel intend to pursue the second phase of the ceasefire and hostage deal, a senior Trump administration official said on Tuesday morning prior to the two leader's meeting at the White House.
Israeli-Saudi normalization will also be a focus of the meeting, according to the official.
"The most important thing to President Trump is to get our hostages home," the official said. "Not only in Gaza, but around the world."
Though both National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio agree that Hamas cannot govern Gaza, the official pointed out.
Go to the full article >>Pakistan denies involvement as Hamas negotiates hosting of Palestinian prisoners
These reports come as negotiations for the agreement’s second phase are set to begin on Tuesday and after Trump suggested that Arab nations should take in large numbers of Palestinian refugees.
[Islamabad] - Hamas said on Monday that Pakistan has agreed to host 15 Palestinian prisoners who were released from Israeli custody under a recent ceasefire agreement. However, Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has denied any knowledge of the arrangement, and the Foreign Ministry has yet to respond.
Speaking to Independent Urdu—the Urdu-language edition of the British newspaper The Independent—Hamas spokesman Dr. Khalid Al-Qadoumi said, “Initially, the number will be 15, but the timeline for their arrival in Pakistan has not yet been determined.” According to Independent Urdu, the Palestinians planning to travel to Pakistan will transit through Egypt and Turkey, though they have not yet left Egypt.
Al-Qadoumi added, “Several Islamic countries, including Egypt, Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Algeria, have expressed willingness to host a group of Palestinian prisoners released under the Tufan al-Ahrar agreement. Discussions with these countries are currently ongoing.”
Go to the full article >>Trump and Netanyahu to discuss Gaza deal, official says
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will discuss the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal when they sit down for talks on Tuesday, a senior Trump administration official said.
Go to the full article >>Israel at war: What you need to know
- Hamas launched a massive attack on October 7, with thousands of terrorists infiltrating from the Gaza border and taking some 240 hostages into Gaza.
- Over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals were murdered, including over 350 at the Re'im music festival and hundreds of Israeli civilians across Gaza border communities.
- 79 hostages remain in Gaza.
- 49 hostages in total have been killed in captivity, IDF says.
- The IDF launched a ground invasion of Lebanon on September 30.
- The Israel-Lebanon ceasefire came into effect on November 27 at 4:00 a.m.
- Netanyahu confirmed the first phase of the Israel-Hamas Ceasefire on January 17, 2025
- 735 terrorists will be released as part of the hostage deal