Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he discussed efforts to release hostages held in Gaza and the ongoing military campaign to defeat Hamas during talks at the White House with U.S. President Donald Trump.
The meeting on Tuesday was the second in 24 hours between the two leaders, as Trump intensified pressure on Netanyahu to reach a deal that could end what he called the “tragedy” of the war in Gaza.
In a statement, Netanyahu said he reaffirmed Israel’s objectives during the talks. “We focused on the efforts to release our hostages,” he said. “We are not relenting, even for a moment, and this is made possible due to the military pressure by our heroic soldiers.”
The U.S. leader’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on Tuesday, July 1, that he was hopeful of a deal between Israel and Hamas, who are holding indirect talks in Qatar that he will join later this week. However, Qatar, a mediator alongside Egypt and the United States, has stated that more time is needed for negotiations to achieve a breakthrough.
