Netanyahu Trump

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump have met at the White House. The sitdown Tuesday was the first since they launched a joint war against Iran, and it offered a chance for Netanyahu to smooth out strains in their relationship. The closed-door meeting lasted nearly an hour and a half. The White House said it was “positive and productive." Both leaders face growing pressures at home. Netanyahu is up for reelection and is embattled in part because of his deteriorating relationship with the president. Trump is under pressure to end an unpopular war that has wreaked economic havoc ahead of U.S. elections in November.

Israel has shared serious security concerns with the White House about a proposed disarmament deal with Hamas. An Israeli official told The Associated Press on Sunday that Israel believes Hamas is focused on rebuilding its military rather than demilitarizing. The Israeli military will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas disarms. This comes days after Hamas announced plans to disarm as part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. The agreement includes a phased Israeli withdrawal and the arrival of international forces. Despite the ceasefire, Israel continues to strike Gaza, targeting Hamas and its infrastructure. Israeli strikes overnight and into Sunday evening killed at least 17 people, including children, in the embattled enclave.