Netanyahu-Trump meeting to tackle Iran strikes, Gaza War and hostages

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet President Donald Trump on Monday, just over two weeks after Washington has made strikes against the Iranian nuclear program in support of a previous military operation led by Jerusalem.

But even if the pair seems to savor the reported success of the missions – which, according to the Pentagon, had withdrawn the nuclear program of Tehran up to two years – several security problems remain on the table.

Here is what to expect talks on Monday:

The Iranian nuclear program is two years after the strikes: Pentagon

President Donald Trump is joined by Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and vice-president JD Vance at a meeting at the Oval Blanche Office on February 4, 2025 in Washington, DC, (Jabin Botsford / The Washington Post via Getty Images)

New era of strategic partnership

“We entered a new era of the American-Israeli strategic partnership following this conflict,” said John Hannah, principal researcher at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (Jinsa) specializing in defense and strategy.

“For the first time in history, the United States and Israel have waged war together in offensive operations against the military capacities of a main common adversary,” he added. “It’s a very big problem.”

Experts agree that Trump and Netanyahu should tackle the future of American-Israeli relations, not only with regard to the deterrence of Iran’s nuclear program, but because the Jewish chief will seek to cement this level of American support.

“I think he will try to assert this affair with President Trump on what an Israel critical ally could be for the rest of his mandate,” the president and chief executive officer of Jinsa, Michael Makovsky told journalists.

But when asked by Fox News Digital if the security experts expected the president to provide Israel with additional military aid, as B-2 bombers as some reports recently suggested, they were both skeptical given the sophisticated nature of weapons.

While Netanyahu will seek to cement support in the United States for Israel, Trump will also seek to take advantage of the aid that Washington has already provided to guarantee political victories at home.

“Serious” Hamas has the idea of ​​reaching a ceasefire agreement but insists on longtime requests

The destroyed buildings are represented in the west of Beit Lahia in the Northern Gaza Strip on February 11, 2025, in the middle of the current cease-fire agreement in the war between Israel and Hamas. (Bashar Taleb / AFP via Getty Images)

Gaza

Trump said on several occasions that he wanted the war in the Gaza Strip to end and see the return of the 50 hostages, including the two remaining Americans still held by Hamas Terrorist Network, Omer Neutra and Itay Chen.

But his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, has not been able to conclude an agreement that Hamas and Israel can accept – the hiccup centered largely around the inability to find a solution that puts an end to Israeli military operations and establishes a “day after” plan for Gaza.

Witkoff was to visit Egypt for additional negotiations in the coming days, although no official travel plan has yet been announced.

Neither the White House nor the State Department confirmed with Fox News Digital if a date would be fixed after Trump’s meeting with Netanyahu.

But Trump should put pressure on his Israeli counterpart to finally end the war over 20 months.

“Trump has the impression,” I made you a solid, I participated, I bombed these sites with my B-2-now you have to help me, and we must already finish this Gaza war “”, told Makovsky to Fox News Digital. “I think there is obviously a lever effect there.”

Makovsky said that despite the recent decision in the United States not to send aid previously promised to Ukraine, Trump is unlikely to retreat aid to Israel.

“They must reconstruct many interceptors on air defense and many ammunition,” said Makovsky. “I don’t see Trump remember this, but it gives him a lever effect.”

Trump puts pressure on

The FDI recently announced its intention to capture 75% of Gaza within two months on May 26, 2025. (Issam Rimawi / Anadolu via Getty Images | Majdi Fathi / Nurphoto via Getty Images | Fox News Digital)

Normalization

The creation of the Abraham agreements during his first mandate became the cornerstone of his presidency and a victory that he would like to move forward again by normalizing diplomatic ties between Israel and other Arab nations.

Some of the main allies of the United States in the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia, have clearly indicated that they were not interested in establishing links with Jerusalem – even if they share a common enemy in Iran – until Israel stops his war in Gaza.

But it will probably take more than a cease-fire to extend diplomatic ties between Jerusalem and Riyadh, who has long criticized what he considers as oppressive actions taken by Israel against the Palestinians.

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Experts explained that Trump will have to travel a fine line to put pressure on Netanyahu to find a solution that calls on the Arab nations, but also soothe the conservative base of the Israeli president at home.

“It is not only a pressure on the Prime Minister, but the president also works with our Arab partners to ensure that there are incentives and awards for the Prime Minister in terms of the wider region,” said Hannah. “If (Netanya) decides to take daring risks in Gaza to put this war at a conclusion, recover these hostages, with the total support of President Trump … Then the perspective opens up fairly quickly, of renewed negotiations and a normalization path with Saudi Arabia and other key states of the region.”