U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met behind closed doors Monday at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort to discuss next steps for ending the war in Gaza.
Trump said the two leaders reached conclusions but gave no specifics. The meeting came as the U.S. pushes to advance a U.S.-brokered Gaza peace agreement from phase one to phase two.
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President Trump told reporters they want to move quickly but reiterated the agreement’s requirement that Hamas disarm. He warned that the militant group would face harsh repercussions if it does not, suggesting other countries could help enforce the measure.
While Hamas and Israel have accused each other of violating the current peace agreement, Trump voiced full support for Israel.
“I’m not concerned about anything Israel is doing,” Trump said. “I’m concerned about what other people are doing or maybe aren’t doing. But I’m not concerned. They’ve lived up to the plan. They’re strong, they’re solid and sometimes they don’t understand when somebody violates something you want to give them a second chance. We’ll give them a couple of second chances but no, Israel has lived up to the plan 100%.”
Phase one of the proposal called for hostage and prisoner exchanges between Hamas and Israel. Phase two envisions a so-called Board of Peace that could involve international participation, a technocratic government and an international stabilization force. Trump indicated Turkey could potentially station forces in Gaza, though details remain unclear.
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The talks also focused on escalating tensions with Iran, which announced over the weekend it is at war with the United States, Europe and Israel. Trump warned Iran against rebuilding its nuclear program following U.S. strikes on nuclear sites earlier this year, saying there would be very powerful consequences.
Trump did not provide evidence of renewed Iranian activity but said he believed Iran may be pursuing other sites, adding the U.S. would have to “knock them down” if true. He also backed potential Israeli strikes against Iran should it continue missile or nuclear development.
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