September 29, 2025 – In what could be a pivotal moment for the Middle East, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday to discuss a potential ceasefire agreement for Gaza. The high-stakes meeting comes amid growing international pressure to end the nearly two-year conflict that has devastated the Palestinian territory .
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be discussing Gaza ceasefire deal with US President Donald Trump on September 29.
The meeting represents Netanyahu’s fourth visit to the White House since Trump returned to office in January, underscoring the critical nature of their discussions. Both leaders face competing pressures—Trump seeking a foreign policy victory and Netanyahu balancing U.S. demands against his fragile governing coalition’s hardline positions .
The Trump Administration’s Peace Proposal
At the heart of Monday’s discussion was President Trump’s 21-point peace plan, which has been developed in coordination with Arab leaders and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair . While the full details haven’t been officially released, sources familiar with the plan have revealed key components:
Table: Key Elements of Trump’s Gaza Peace Proposal
Component Details
Ceasefire & Hostages Immediate ceasefire; all remaining 48 hostages released within 48 hours
Security Arrangements Hamas disarmament; international security force for Gaza; gradual Israeli withdrawal
Gaza Governance Temporary international transitional authority; technocratic Palestinian administration; eventual Palestinian Authority role
Political Issues No Israeli West Bank annexation; Palestinian “right of return” to Gaza; hundreds of Palestinian prisoners released
The proposal aims to establish a Gaza International Transitional Authority (GITA) that would administer the territory for several years before potentially transferring control to a reformed Palestinian Authority. This international board would oversee humanitarian affairs, reconstruction, and security coordination .
Netanyahu’s Balancing Act
The Israeli prime minister arrives at the meeting walking a political tightrope. While he told Fox News on Sunday that Israeli officials were “working with President Trump’s team … and I hope we can make it a go,” he faces significant constraints from his right-wing coalition partners .
Just hours before the White House meeting, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich—head of the Religious Zionism party—issued six demands to Netanyahu, including complete Hamas withdrawal from Gaza, permanent Israeli military control over Gaza’s borders, and no Palestinian Authority involvement in Gazan governance .
Netanyahu’s coalition government appears increasingly fragile, holding just 60 of 120 seats in the Knesset after ultra-Orthodox parties left the coalition in July. If Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s parties withdraw their support, Netanyahu’s government could collapse .
The Israeli leader comes to Washington following a defiant speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, where he declared Israel “must finish the job” against Hamas despite walkouts by dozens of delegations. He condemned recent decisions by Western allies to recognize Palestinian statehood as “a mark of shame” that rewarded “the most savage terrorists on earth” .
Hamas’s Position and Current Situation
A senior Hamas official has already indicated the group will reject the latest U.S. proposal, stating it doesn’t include guarantees that the temporary truce would lead to a permanent ceasefire or restore the humanitarian protocol that allowed hundreds of aid trucks into Gaza daily during the last ceasefire .
Hamas has consistently maintained that it will only release hostages in exchange for a complete end to hostilities and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza . The group’s armed wing reported Sunday that contact had been lost with teams holding two Israeli captives in Gaza City amid expanding Israeli ground operations .
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reported 50 people killed in the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll since the war began to 66,055. The UN warns that about 500,000 people face catastrophic levels of hunger in the coming months .
Regional and International Context
The White House meeting occurs against a backdrop of significant diplomatic shifts. In recent weeks, Britain, France, Canada, Australia and several other Western-aligned countries have recognized Palestinian statehood, representing a major diplomatic setback for Israel .
This growing international isolation was visible at the UN General Assembly, where many delegates walked out during Netanyahu’s speech, and empty seats dotted the assembly hall . The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant accusing Netanyahu of crimes against humanity, which he denies, while the UN’s highest court is weighing genocide allegations against Israel .
President Trump has nevertheless remained Netanyahu’s most important international supporter. The relationship has shown some strain recently, particularly after Israel’s failed strike on Hamas officials in Qatar this month, which deeply angered Qatari leaders and Trump, who had to apologize to a key regional ally .
What’s at Stake
For President Trump, successfully brokering a Gaza ceasefire would represent a significant foreign policy achievement ahead of the 2026 elections. His administration has framed the proposal as part of a broader “peace in the Middle East” initiative that extends beyond Gaza .
For Netanyahu, the meeting could force a choice between maintaining his relationship with Israel’s most important ally and preserving his governing coalition. As one expert noted, “Netanyahu might have to choose between Trump and his coalition members” who want the war to continue .
The path forward remains uncertain. As Aaron David Miller, a former adviser on Middle East issues, cautioned: “The more crowing that is done about how we’re in the final stages, the more skeptical I become” .
With both leaders facing domestic pressures and the humanitarian situation in Gaza growing increasingly desperate, the White House meeting could determine whether the region moves toward peace or continued conflict. The world watches to see if these two allied leaders can bridge their differences and end a war that has exacted an enormous human toll.