US President Donald Trump is pushing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pursue the second stage of a hostage deal with Hamas, despite potential political risks. Following visits to Saudi Arabia and Israel, Trump’s envoy Jason Witkoff arrived in Tel Aviv to promote normalization between the two countries.
Trump is using both public and private pressure to strengthen his relationship with Netanyahu. The White House is also backing his efforts, aiming to prepare the ground for major negotiations set to begin next week on the second stage of the hostage deal.
The developments come as Trump seeks to solidify his legacy in the Middle East peace process.
Source: https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2025-01-29/ty-article/.premium/trump-is-pushing-netanyahu-to-pursue-stage-two-of-gaza-deal-despite-political-risks/00000194-b3da-dba7-a797-f3faebba0000