US President Donald Trump has met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the second time in as many days, as efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza appeared to gain momentum.
The two leaders met in the Oval Office for just over an hour on Tuesday with no press present, following a longer dinner meeting on Monday — part of Netanyahu’s third visit to the US since Trump began his second term in January.
The talks came as Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said the number of unresolved issues between Israel and Hamas had dropped to one, down from four, and expressed hope for a breakthrough.
"We are hopeful that by the end of this week, we'll have an agreement that will bring us into a 60-day ceasefire. Ten live hostages will be released. Nine deceased will be released," Witkoff told reporters at a Cabinet meeting.
Before Netanyahu’s arrival on Tuesday, a delegation from Qatar — which has hosted indirect talks between Israel and Hamas — met with senior White House officials, according to a report by Axios.
The White House has not commented on the meeting.
Speaking earlier to lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Netanyahu said Israel’s genocide in Gaza was not yet over but acknowledged that negotiators were "certainly working" toward a ceasefire.
"We still have to finish the job in Gaza — release all our hostages, eliminate and destroy Hamas' military and government capabilities," he said.
Netanyahu met with US Vice President JD Vance, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and is expected to return to Congress on Wednesday for meetings with Senate leaders.
