Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House Tuesday to discuss the future of the Gaza ceasefire. This visit marks Netanyahu's first trip to the White House since Trump's return to power. On the agenda are talks about a longer-term truce between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which has yet to be finalised.

Trump has consistently promoted a plan to "clean out" Gaza, suggesting that Palestinians should relocate to neighbouring countries like Egypt or Jordan. However, these nations have firmly rejected his proposal.

Before departing for Washington, Netanyahu remarked that Israel's conflicts with Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and its confrontations with Iran have fundamentally altered the political landscape or "redrawn the map" in the Middle East.

 "But I believe that working closely with President Trump, we can redraw it even further, and for the better," Netanyahu stated.

The upcoming White House meeting between Trump and Netanyahu is poised to be a pivotal moment for a region reeling from the devastating aftermath of Hamas's October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel. Netanyahu has welcomed the opportunity to be the first foreign leader to meet with Trump since his inauguration on January 20, citing it as a "testimony to the strength of the Israeli-American alliance."

Netanyahu's relationship with Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, was strained due to the escalating death toll in Gaza, despite the US maintaining its military aid to Israel. However, Trump is expected to take a different approach, urging Netanyahu to adhere to the ceasefire agreement and potentially normalise relations with Saudi Arabia, a goal Trump had pursued during his first term.

Trump expressed optimism on Sunday about the progress of talks with Israel and other Middle Eastern countries but quickly tempered that enthusiasm with a warning that "there were no guarantees that the peace is going to hold." His Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Netanyahu on Monday to discuss the next phase of the Gaza truce.

While Witkoff said he was "certainly hopeful" that the ceasefire would hold, the situation remains uncertain. Hamas officials have indicated their willingness to engage in talks about the second phase, which may involve the release of remaining captives and potentially pave the way for a more lasting end to the conflict.

Trump's surprise proposal to relocate people from Gaza, which he described as a "demolition site," has injected even more uncertainty into an already volatile situation. His plan, which could be either temporary or permanent, was met with swift rejection from Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinians and Qatar, the ceasefire mediator, who strongly opposed the mass displacement of civilians from Gaza.

In contrast, the current 42-day Gaza ceasefire has shown some promise. Hamas has agreed to release 33 hostages in staged exchanges, while Israel will free around 1,900 Palestinians from its jails. So far, four hostage-prisoner exchanges have taken place, and the truce has brought much-needed aid, including food, fuel, and medical supplies, into Gaza. Additionally, displaced Gazans have been allowed to return to the northern part of the territory.

Hamas's attack in October 2023 claimed 1,210 lives, mostly civilians, based on Israeli figures. In response, Israel's actions in Gaza resulted in at least 47,498 fatalities, predominantly civilians, according to Gaza's health ministry. Meanwhile, Israel has shifted its focus to the West Bank, launching an operation to combat extremism that has killed dozens.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former U.S. President Donald Trump are expected to focus their discussions on the future of the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal. A key issue in their talks will be the second phase of the agreement, which is currently under negotiation.

Netanyahu is looking to persuade Trump not to pressure him to move forward with the next stage of the deal. Instead, he hopes to gain more time to continue Israel’s military operations aimed at dismantling Hamas.

Another major topic on the agenda will be Iran’s nuclear program. Trump has indicated that he is interested in pursuing a diplomatic deal with Iran to prevent the need for Israeli military action. However, Netanyahu wants a firm commitment from Trump that should diplomacy fail, the U.S. will provide Israel with the necessary weapons to carry out an independent strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The issue of normalisation with Saudi Arabia is also likely to be discussed. For both Trump and Netanyahu, securing a peace agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia would be a significant diplomatic achievement, viewed as the ultimate prize in regional negotiations.