WASHINGTON. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to Israel without securing a Gaza ceasefire agreement, despite efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump to broker a truce and reinforce his image as a global peacemaker.
Trump had strongly supported a proposed 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas during Netanyahu’s visit, but no breakthrough was announced. The outcome was a setback for the U.S. president, who has long championed his reputation as a master negotiator.
“He prides himself on being able to make deals, so this is another test case,” said Rachel Brandenburg, Washington managing director of the Israel Policy Forum.
Trump’s efforts come amid a broader attempt to expand his influence in the Middle East, including goals to widen the Abraham Accords and normalize relations with Syria. A Gaza ceasefire would bolster his position, but Netanyahu’s resistance underscores the limits of Trump’s leverage, especially after their joint U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites last month.
Despite back-to-back White House meetings between the two leaders, public signs of progress were minimal. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from Kuala Lumpur, said, “We’re closer than we’ve been in quite a while and we’re hopeful, but we also recognize there’s still some challenges in the way.”
Netanyahu’s stance remains firm: fighting will continue until Hamas is dismantled. The militant group, in turn, has demanded that Israel withdraw from Gaza in exchange for the release of remaining hostages, terms Israel rejects.
In private talks, it remains unclear how forcefully Trump pressed Netanyahu. However, the two appeared closely aligned during the visit. Trump recently backed Israel’s strikes on Iran and publicly called for the dismissal of Netanyahu’s corruption case, marking a shift in their previously strained relationship.
After Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, Trump criticized Netanyahu’s preparedness, saying the Israeli leader had “let us down.” But recent events have rekindled their alliance.
Netanyahu, speaking in English after the U.S. strikes on Iran, emphasized the “unshakeable alliance” with Trump, calling his leadership a “pivot of history.” During his latest Washington visit, Netanyahu even nominated Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize, a gesture widely seen as symbolic flattery.
Still, analysts say Trump’s ambitions could clash with Netanyahu’s political realities. Brandenburg warned that if Netanyahu obstructs Trump’s broader goals for the region, “Netanyahu will be cast aside as more of a problem than an asset.”
Netanyahu is under intense domestic pressure to end the war. While the strikes on Iran boosted his political standing, failure to eliminate Hamas would violate his pledge of “total victory.” His far-right coalition partners have threatened to withdraw support if he ends the conflict prematurely, risking new elections and exposing him to corruption trials.
On Thursday, Netanyahu signaled some flexibility, saying he would agree to a 60-day temporary ceasefire in exchange for the release of half the remaining hostages, some believed to be dead. He also said negotiations could begin on ending the war.
However, any lasting ceasefire, he insisted, would require Hamas to disarm, something the group refuses while Israeli troops remain in Gaza.
“If it is not achieved through negotiations in 60 days, we will achieve it in other ways, by using force,” Netanyahu said.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
- EDGARDO HERNAL
- EDGARDO HERNAL
- EDGARDO HERNAL
- EDGARDO HERNAL
