Jerusalem
CNN
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His hosts have made his expectations clear as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares for his third visit to the White House this year. US President Donald Trump, who frequently spoke about his desire to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, said Tuesday that he is “looking for that to happen next week.”
The two leaders celebrate the US and Israel’s strike in Iran, but Gaza has become so many on their agenda. “We want to get hostages back,” Trump said.
Netanyahu, who is scheduled to meet the US president on Monday, faces a key decision at the intersection of two very different conflicts. One is accurate and short, the other is brutal and prolonged. According to Israeli officials, the longtime Israeli leader has already held two high-level meetings in Gaza, with another meeting scheduled for Thursday.
However, the government has yet to decide how to proceed in Gaza, according to sources familiar with the debate. That choice will be summed up whether to pursue a ceasefire agreement or to intensify military bombings on enclaves that have already killed more than 56,000 Palestinians.
Earlier this week, Israeli forces recommended pursuing a diplomatic path in the strip after more than 20 months of combat and the elimination of many of Hamas’ senior leaders.
On Tuesday, military officials told CNN that Israel has not fully achieved all war goals, but as Hamas’ troops have been reduced and become more difficult to effectively target the rest of the militant group.
“It’s hard to achieve tactical goals now,” the official said. They added that the military could continue to pursue the destruction of Hamas’ military and governance capabilities, but political agreements could also be effective.
Far-right members of the Netanyahu government are calling for a step-up of Israeli campaigns.
“There is no agreement, there are no partners, there are no mediators. Only clear outcomes: the return of hostages from Hamas’ position of destruction and strength,” said Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, head of the Religious Zionism Party on Monday.
However, after almost two years of war, others have made it clear that the release of the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza is a priority.
“In my opinion, everything must be done to release the hostages. And we are over 600 days behind. We must do everything to get everyone back together – living and falling. Even out of weakness, Welfare Minister Ya’akov Margi spoke about the Israeli religion Kol B’ramah Radio. Pushing whether it includes the end of the war, Margi said, “I think we should enter negotiations and everything should be on the table.”
The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) already controls about 60% of Gaza’s besieged territory, forcing more than 2 million Palestinians, many of whom are difficult to avoid in number, into smaller areas near the coast. However, negotiations have been suspended for several weeks and cannot fill the important gap. Hamas demanded a permanent end to the conflict as part of a ceasefire agreement, and Israel refused to end the war.
“The IDF has reached the limits of what you can achieve in power,” said retired Major Israel ZIV, who once led the military’s operations department. “Netanyahu has reached the intersection and he has to make a choice,” he added.
One path would be to seek regional agreements that could leverage its achievements against Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas and upgrade Syria’s relationship with Lebanon, Ziv said. Such an option would end the war in Gaza and ensure hostage release, but would put the Netanyahu government at risk if far-right parties leave the coalition.
“The second path is to continue the war, and even if it has not been officially declared, it would mean the conquest of Gaza,” Ziv said.
Over the weekend, Netanyahu said “many opportunities have been opened” following Israeli military operations in Iran. “First, to save the hostages,” he said. “Of course we need to solve the Gaza problem and defeat Hamas, but I think we’ll complete both missions.”
The comments showed a potentially significant change in how Netanyahu laid out Israel’s goals in Gaza. Due to the majority of the war, he prioritized Hamas’ defeat. In May, he said it was “the best purpose” rather than the return of hostages.
However, after the campaign against Iran, Netanyahu showed new flexibility in negotiations. He may be tested soon at the White House when he meets the US president for a deal.