Trump and Netanyahu meet amid Israel-Hamas ceasefire push

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U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday (July 7), where both leaders signaled progress on a controversial initiative to relocate Palestinians from Gaza and confirmed upcoming U.S. talks with Iran. At the meeting’s outset, Netanyahu said Palestinians in Gaza should have the “free choice” to leave, stating, “It shouldn’t be a prison… We’re working very closely with the United States about finding countries that will… give the Palestinians a better future.” Trump echoed the sentiment, claiming “great cooperation” from Israel’s regional neighbours on the relocation plan. The proposal, which Trump first floated earlier this year alongside the idea of U.S.-Israeli control over Gaza, has been widely condemned as ethnic cleansing by human rights groups and rejected outright by Palestinians. The meeting comes just weeks after Trump ordered U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, supporting Israel’s 12‑day war with Iran. A ceasefire was reached shortly afterward, brokered with U.S. help. Trump said his administration had now scheduled talks with Iran and suggested sanctions might be lifted in time: “I would love to be able to, at the right time, take the sanctions off. Give them a chance at rebuilding….” Iran’s president told media Monday he believed the two countries could resolve their differences through dialogue. While the leaders met in Washington, Israeli and Hamas officials held indirect negotiations in Qatar, with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff expected to join the talks this week in Doha. A major sticking point remains Israel’s restriction on humanitarian aid into Gaza. Palestinian sources say this has stalled progress on a potential ceasefire and hostage‑release deal. Israel insists it is facilitating aid but wants to prevent diversion by militants. The developments mark a renewed push by the Trump administration to reshape dynamics in both Gaza and broader U.S.–Iran relations, leveraging the aftermath of the Israel‑Iran conflict.