Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on his way to the United States to discuss the second phase of the ceasefire agreed with Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza, his office says.
Negotiations over the second phase are due to begin in Washington, DC on Monday, Netanyahu’s office said on Sunday as the Israeli leader departed for the US, reports Al Jazeera.
US President Donald Trump, who has claimed credit for the ceasefire deal signed on January 19, is expected to host Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday. It will be Trump’s first meeting with a foreign leader since his inauguration on January 20.
“Bibi Netanyahu’s coming on Tuesday, and I think we have some very big meetings scheduled,” Trump said.
Netanyahu’s office said the Israeli leader will begin discussions with Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff on Monday regarding terms for the second phase of the truce.
Netanyahu’s US trip comes two weeks into the first phase of the ceasefire that is set to free 33 Israeli captives in return for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The second phase is expected to cover the release of the remaining captives and to include discussions on a more permanent end to the war.
The Gaza ceasefire paused 15 months of an Israeli genocide in the enclave that killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, the government said on Monday.
The total was raised as about 14,000 who are missing and presumed to be buried under the rubble were added to the earlier estimates of 47,000 killed.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
