U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Washington for a meeting, although no specific date was provided. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump stated that the meeting would happen “very soon.”
This visit coincides with a fragile six-week ceasefire in Gaza, temporarily halting 15 months of intense conflict between Israel and the Hamas militant group.
President Trump also proposed that Egypt take in Palestinians displaced by the conflict. Referring to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as a “friend,” Trump said, “I wish he would take some. We help them a lot, and I’m sure he can help us.” He emphasized the need for Palestinians to live in areas free from violence and unrest.
Over the weekend, Trump suggested that Egypt and Jordan should accommodate Palestinians from Gaza, describing the dire conditions there. However, both countries rejected the proposal, stressing their opposition to relocating Palestinians from Gaza, which they regard as essential territory for a future Palestinian state. Jordan, already home to millions of Palestinians, and Egypt cited concerns about further displacements.
Hamas and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas also rejected Trump’s suggestion. Abbas holds limited governance in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The recent escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking approximately 250 hostages. Israel’s military responded with a large-scale offensive in Gaza, leading to over 47,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The military actions have sparked allegations of genocide and war crimes, which Israel denies.
As part of the ceasefire brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and supported by the U.S., seven hostages and 290 Palestinian prisoners have been exchanged. Under the agreement, a total of 33 hostages are expected to be released during the truce in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
Displaced Palestinians returning to Gaza City have found widespread devastation after the prolonged conflict.
