The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, will start negotiations on the second phase of the truce in Gaza on Monday during his visit to Washington, according to his office. On Saturday, it was reported that Netanyahu will be discussing the next steps in the agreement with American officials.
Netanyahu spoke with the American special emissary for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and they agreed that negotiations for the second phase of the agreement on the hostages will begin when they meet in Washington on Monday. The Israeli leader’s office stated that both parties are ready to move forward with the talks.
In addition to meeting with Netanyahu, it is expected that Trump will also meet with the Prime Minister of Qatar and high-ranking Egyptian officials during the week. Netanyahu’s trip to Washington on Monday marks the first time a foreign leader will be received by Trump since his inauguration.
The first phase of the truce, which began on January 19, focuses on releasing 33 Israeli hostages held captive in Gaza in exchange for the release of 1,900 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel. The second phase aims to secure the release of the remaining hostages and bring a final end to the war. A third phase will concentrate on rebuilding the Gaza Strip and establishing a government model for the Palestinian territory.
The information regarding these negotiations was provided by AFP.