The Israeli delegation heading to Doha Sunday to negotiate with mediators and Hamas regarding a possible ceasefire and hostage release agreement is expected to include: M., the deputy director of the Shin et, who led the negotiation team over recent months; hostages-and-missing-persons coordinator Gal Hirsch; Netanyahu’s political advisor, Dr. Ofir Falk; as well as additional representatives from the Shin Bet and Mossad.
The assessment in Israel is that the deal is not likely to be finalized in the coming days due to significant gaps between the parties. Hamas—unlike Israel—rejected the Qatari proposal, which included a 60‑day ceasefire, the release of 10 living hostages and 18 bodies, and a partial withdrawal of IDF forces from Gaza, and instead demanded various amendments.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump will discuss a ceasefire with Hamas over dinner at the White House
(Photos: Jack Guez/AFP, Evelyn Hockstein, Haim Zach/GPO)
Therefore, it is unlikely that U.S. President Donald Trump will be able to announce a ceasefire during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming visit to Washington. However, he may express optimistic remarks that the parties are approaching an agreement. Preliminary discussions ahead of Netanyahu’s arrival suggest that both sides are committed to achieving the two main war objectives: returning the hostages and dismantling Hamas.
Trump and Netanyahu will also address the Syrian issue during the visit, but no announcement is expected on that front at this time. The main focus of the meeting will be Iran. Both the U.S. and Israel aim to formulate a joint strategy to leverage the achievements of Operation Rising Lion. As talks begin on a new agreement, they will need to establish red lines—such as uranium enrichment—that, if crossed by the Iranian regime, would trigger military action by the U.S., Israel, or both.
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The meeting between the president and the prime minister is scheduled for Mondayat 6:30 p.m. Israel time. Trump has upgraded it from a working session to a dinner, signaling his intention to finalize matters in a more personal setting. It remains unclear at this stage whether a press conference will follow.
Before his departure, Netanyahu met with President Isaac Herzog, who told him that he does not underestimate the potential costs of a deal, but expressed confidence that the Cabinet and the security establishment are prepared to handle the challenges.
Herzog then issued a statement saying: “In his visit to Washington, the prime minister carries with him an important mission - advancing a deal to bring all our hostages home. This is a supreme moral duty. I fully support these efforts, even when they involve difficult, complex, and painful decisions. We must all remember that the cost is not simple, but I am confident that the Cabinet and the security establishment will manage these challenges as they have until now."
"An entire nation is watching, hoping, and praying to see all our hostages return home as soon as possible,” he added.