Netanyahu Concedes on Gaza to Secure Crucial White House Meeting with Trump

New details have emerged about the diplomatic crisis preceding the pivotal meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump. Washington made it clear to Jerusalem that Israel must demonstrate tangible progress in Gaza, prompting Israel to approve the rapid deployment of an international stabilization force to the Gaza Strip, despite Hamas not yet disarming.

According to journalist Yaron Avraham from Channel 12 News, the gates to the Prime Minister’s Office were initially closed earlier this month, with the U.S. unwilling to proceed with the planned summit. The breakthrough came only after a blunt diplomatic message was sent to Jerusalem: "If you think you will come empty-handed, you will not come at all." Following urgent consultations with U.S. Ambassador David Friedman and Trump’s close aides, Netanyahu decided to take a difficult step by approving the international force in Gaza during an emergency cabinet meeting. This move was described by an Israeli source familiar with the discussions as a "gesture of concession," marking a retreat from a previously firm cabinet principle that Hamas’s disarmament was a non-negotiable precondition for any agreement.

The upcoming summit, scheduled for 6 p.m. tomorrow, will focus heavily on the Iranian threat. Netanyahu plans to present Trump with updated intelligence on Iran’s efforts to revive its nuclear program and ballistic missile capabilities. Netanyahu aims to avoid appearing as if he is pushing Trump toward another war. Meanwhile, Trump has issued a stern warning to Tehran, emphasizing the narrow window for diplomatic progress, stating, "Not much time. Either it happens quickly, or it doesn’t happen at all."

Trump also revealed in an interview with Channel 12’s Barak Ravid that he postponed planned military strikes against Iranian targets last weekend due to urgent requests from various Middle Eastern and global mediators asking him to "hold fire" and allow more room for diplomacy. However, he stressed that U.S. patience is limited and promised a return to "very powerful military action" if talks fail. Netanyahu departed for Washington this afternoon aboard the "Wing of Zion" plane from Nevatim Airbase. In an unusual move, his office did not disclose the flight’s departure or arrival times, and Netanyahu did not make any statements before takeoff.