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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a key meeting at the White House this afternoon with US President Donald Trump, amid signs from Washington that an ambitious plan to end it is almost ready.
The fourth meeting between the two allies since Trump took office in January comes after the US leader shared a 21-point proposal aimed at ending the conflict between Israel and Hamas with other regional leaders in New York last week, Bloomberg reports.
"We have a real opportunity for greatness in the Middle East," Trump said on his Truth Social account on Sunday, adding, "everyone is ready for something special, for the first time in history. We are going to do it."
Trump and Netanyahu will meet at 11:35 a.m. Washington time (6:35 p.m. ET).
The Israeli shekel rose more than 1 percent in early trading on Monday, to 3.32 per dollar, the best performer among a basket of more than 30 major currencies tracked by Bloomberg . That signals that some investors are optimistic about the chances of a ceasefire.
Trump's claims are not always confirmed, and both Israel and Hamas say they need to study the plan. On Friday, a senior Israeli official told a news conference with American reporters that Israel would comment on the plan only after Monday's meeting. Hamas said it had not yet seen the plan.
What does the 21-point plan foresee?
Reports in the Washington Post and the Times of Israel suggest that under the proposal, Hamas would release all 48 hostages, both dead and alive, within 48 hours, while Israeli military operations would cease and its troops would be gradually withdrawn. Israel would agree to release Palestinian prisoners and allow much more aid into Gaza.
For its part, Hamas would be demobilized and would have no role in governing the Palestinian territories, a transitional administration would be established, and a plan would be drawn up for the deradicalization of schools and mosques.
Israeli officials declined to confirm or deny the details. A senior Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described some of the reported points as false.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog gave no sign that he had seen the final plan, but expressed optimism about its prospects.
"The plan that is being proposed aims to end Hamas rule in Gaza," he told Israel's Kan radio, adding "from the information I have, it is a serious, revolutionary and important plan."
The White House meeting comes as Israel intensifies its assault on Gaza City, the territory's de facto capital, aiming to eliminate Hamas's remaining military strongholds. Israeli forces have expelled 700,000 of the city's 1 million residents and destroyed high-rise buildings they say contain Hamas equipment, as well as tunnels where Hamas fighters operate.
Israeli ground forces advanced deeper into Gaza City on Sunday evening, reaching within about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) of the main hospital in the city center, in northern Gaza, according to witnesses and videos posted on social media. These showed tanks and military vehicles in central areas.
The war, which turns two next week, has killed some 66,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza. Civilians have been continuously displaced and face poor living and health conditions, as well as severe food shortages, with a United Nations-backed agency declaring famine in parts of the Strip a month ago.
The senior Israeli official who briefed the American editors said there are five conditions on which Israel insists to end the war:
• Hamas to disarm,
• return all hostages,
• Gaza to be demilitarized,
• Israel to be responsible for security and
• an administration to be established that comes neither from Hamas nor from the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank.
These conditions contradict Hamas' early demands, including a complete Israeli withdrawal.
The Iran-backed group has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.
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