US President Donald Trump has invited Benjamin Netanyahu for a meeting at the White House on Feb 4, the Israeli premier’s office said on Tuesday.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu is the first foreign leader to be invited to the White House during President Trump’s second term,” the statement said.
After scripting a massive victory in the US Presidential polls last year, Trump, who defeated Kamala Harris, returned to power for the second term.
His official inauguration took place on January 20.
The two leaders’ meeting is set to take place amid a fragile six-week ceasefire that has brought a temporary pause to 15 months of fighting between Israel and militant group Hamas in Gaza.
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday he wants Egypt to take in Palestinians from the enclave, where much of the population has been displaced by Israel’s military onslaught.
Trump had directed the US military to release the hold on the supply of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, imposed by former President Joe Biden, Reuters reported, quoting a White House source.
Delivery Of Bombs
Biden had put a hold on the delivery of those bombs due to concern over the impact they could have on the civilian population, particularly in Gaza’s Rafah.
Ending a 15-month-long war, Israel and Hamas reached a landmark agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza as well as exchanging of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
This agreement comes after months of intense negotiations by Egyptian and Qatari mediators, with the support of the United States.
The Gaza war was sparked by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, when militants killed 1,200 and took about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed some 47,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, and led to accusations of genocide and war crimes that Israel denies.
Under the terms of a ceasefire agreed this month, an initial six-week phase is due to see the release of 33 hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
(With inputs from IBNS and Reuters)
