Full story
Gaza and the Iran pivot
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Washington, DC to meet President Donald Trump on Tuesday at 11 a.m, local time, with the agenda led by Iran amid a lull in the Middle East war after 13 days of intensifying US airstrikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks across the region by the Islamic Republic.
“Politicians and world leaders including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are gathering in Washington to meet with President Donald Trump while in town to honor the late Sen”
The Times of Israel said Netanyahu’s security cabinet on Sunday voted to approve the limited entry of the International Stabilization Force into the Gaza Strip, showing a willingness to support Trump’s 20-point plan for the devastated Palestinian enclave.
The BBC described the broader context as a pause in the fighting after the Pentagon suspended the bombing campaign late on Friday, with no US attacks reported on either Saturday or Sunday, and with Iran holding its fire as long as the US does.
In parallel with the Gaza Strip discussion, The Times of Israel said Trump’s plan faced delays because Hamas continues to refuse to disarm and Israel has withheld approval for several of its key provisions, including reconstruction of the Strip.
The Times of Israel also linked the Gaza Strip track to other regional files, noting that the plan has faced delays while Hezbollah says it won’t give up its weapons and that Lebanese army troops began deploying in a southern Lebanese town after Israeli forces withdrew from the area.
Trump, Netanyahu, and Gaza
Trump told reporters that Washington and Israel remain closely aligned on Iran ahead of his meeting with Netanyahu, saying, “We’re pretty close when it comes to Iran,” as U.S.-Iran negotiations continue during a pause in the fighting.
In the same reporting, Trump said, “We’re talking with Iran right now,” and expressed optimism that “There’s a good chance something will happen,” while also warning that if talks fail the US would go back to “very strong military action.”
The Times of Israel said Netanyahu’s trip comes as he is set to meet Trump on Tuesday at 11 a.m, local time, after more than five months since their last meeting, and that his schedule includes attending a memorial service for the late pro-Israel Republican senator Lindsey Graham.
CNBC reported that Netanyahu and Volodymyr Zelenskyy were both planning to attend Graham’s funeral service in Washington, with a White House official confirming that Netanyahu’s meetings with Trump would include discussion of the Iran war where fighting is currently at a halt.
The Times of Israel added that opposition leader Yair Lapid is also flying to Washington for Graham’s funeral and will participate in an event at the Atlantic Council, as the Gaza Strip issue remains tied to whether Hamas disarms and whether Israel approves key provisions.
What’s at stake next
The Times of Israel framed the immediate stakes for Gaza as tied to Trump’s 20-point plan and to Israel’s withheld approvals, saying the plan has faced delays as Hamas continues to refuse to disarm and Israel has withheld approval for several of its key provisions, including reconstruction of the Strip.
“According to Khabaronline, the Israeli Radio and Television Organization, citing sources, reported that the Israeli cabinet meeting, in response to rising threats and tensions with Iran, was moved to a secure location”
SWI swissinfo.ch reported that Israel said it would allow an international security force to enter Gaza under the U.S. president’s plan to halt the war in the Gaza Strip, positioning the move as part of the effort to stop the conflict.
The Times of Israel also described the broader regional risk environment, saying the lull in the Middle East war came after 13 days of intensifying US airstrikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks across the region by the Islamic Republic, and that Iran said it would continue to hold its fire as long as the US does.
In parallel, The Times of Israel said Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump is expected to address other regional security issues, including Lebanon, where Israel has voiced skepticism about Lebanon’s ability to disarm Hezbollah even as Lebanese President Joseph Aoun met Trump and declared that his country will permanently end hostilities with Israel.
With Gaza’s next phase linked to disarmament and reconstruction approvals, the sources also show that the International Stabilization Force’s limited entry is already on the table, while the same reporting emphasizes that the plan’s delays remain unresolved.
