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For the second consecutive day, US President Donald Trump played host at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. After meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday for peace talks, Trump welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday (local time).
The back-to-back meetings with leaders of two war-torn nations, Israel, which has secured a peace agreement, and Ukraine, which continues to seek one, mark a key moment in US diplomacy. Standing outside his Mar-a-lago club as Trump shakes hands with Netanyahu, he said, "We have to have a peace plan for Gaza as quickly as we can, but there has to be a disarmament, we have to disarm with Hamas. One of the things we will talk about." Months after a Gaza peace deal was signed in Egypt, the situation in the region remains uncertain, as Israel continues its military operations in Gaza. Despite the agreement aimed at restoring peace, the future of Gaza hangs in the balance. Speaking to reporters, Trump also said that the reconstruction of Gaza would "begin pretty soon." As the two leaders meet, discussions are expected to focus on the second phase of the deal, which includes Hamas' disarmament, the start of reconstruction efforts, and the establishment of post-war governance. Central to the proposed plan for administering Gaza is the creation of a "Board of Peace," to be led by Trump, along with other world leaders. Before he met with Trump, Netanyahu also held talks with US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Following his meeting with Rubio, Netanyahu wrote in a post on X, "I had a great meeting in Florida with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio." https://x.com/netanyahu/status/2005661579212136478 A video released by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office showed Netanyahu and Rubio greeting each other with a handshake before taking their seats, with the US and Israeli flags displayed in the background, underscoring the diplomatic nature of the engagement. Netanyahu's visit reflects his continued outreach to the US administration as he seeks a tougher American stance on Hamas in Gaza, while also raising concerns over Iran's advancing ballistic missile programme. Over the past year, he has made multiple visits to the US, publicly praising Trump as Israel's strongest ally while privately urging stronger action against what Israel views as its primary security threats, CNN reported. However, the political backdrop to the meeting appears more complex than in previous engagements. Trump, who has repeatedly described himself as a president focused on peace, has grown more cautious in recent months regarding certain Israeli military actions, including strikes in Syria. He has also remained sensitive to domestic US opinion, which has shown limited appetite for deeper American involvement in another Middle Eastern conflict. (ANI)
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