Israel weighs future of ceasefire as Netanyahu praises Trump's plan to take over Gaza
Israel's security Cabinet was to meet Monday to discuss the second phase of the ceasefire deal with Hamas, while Netanyahu voiced support for Trump's Gaza plan.
Israel's security Cabinet was set to meet Monday to discuss the second phase of the government's ceasefire deal with Hamas, even as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced his support for President Donald Trump's plan to take over the Gaza Strip.
Following a call with Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, Netanyahu instructed Israel's negotiating team to depart for the Egyptian capital of Cairo on Monday to discuss the "continuation of the implementation" of the first stage of the deal that has brought a pause to deadly fighting in Gaza, the Israeli leader's office said in a statement Sunday.
Netanyahu's office said the negotiating team would receive "instructions for the continuation of negotiations on Phase B issues" after the Israeli security Cabinet's discussion on the matter as it pushed back on reports suggesting Israel had dispatched the negotiating team under U.S. pressure.
President Donald Trump listens to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speak at the White House earlier this month.Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP - Getty ImagesBranding those reports "fake news," Netanyahu's office said in a statement there had been "no American pressure to send a delegation to negotiate Phase 2."
Still, plans for further negotiations come after Netanyahu said Sunday following a visit from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Israel and the Trump administration had formed a "joint strategy" to ensure that the "gates of hell will open" if Hamas does not eventually release all of the hostages who remain held captive in Gaza — a key requirement of the current ceasefire deal.
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