Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel was traveling to Washington on Sunday for meetings this week with President Trump and senior administration officials at a pivotal moment for the Middle East.
Mr. Trump has made it clear that he wants an end to the wars in the Middle East, which began with the October 2023 Hamas-led assault on Israel that led to 15 months of devastating conflict in Gaza that also spread to Lebanon. Before boarding his plane on Sunday, Mr. Netanyahu made several references to “peace.”
“The decisions we made in the war have already changed the face of the Middle East,” Mr. Netanyahu said. “I believe that we can strengthen security, broaden the circle of peace and achieve a remarkable era of peace through strength,” he added.
Mr. Netanyahu is expected to be the first foreign leader to meet with Mr. Trump since his inauguration last month. The Israeli leader is expected to hold formative discussions with the Trump administration about several crucial regional issues.
Negotiations are supposed to start on Monday for the second phase of the cease-fire deal for Gaza that would turn the temporary truce that came into effect on Jan. 19 into a more permanent cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas and see the release of all the remaining hostages being held there.
Attesting to the fragility of the situation on the ground, an Israeli aircraft on Sunday fired toward a vehicle in Gaza that the military said was advancing north along an unauthorized route instead of the agreed inspection route, breaking days of calm in the Palestinian enclave. Gaza’s Ministry of Health did not immediately report any fatalities.
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