Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed claims that he discussed a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal with former US President Donald Trump. The denial follows an Axios report suggesting Trump had urged Netanyahu to swiftly conclude the conflict with Hamas.
According to reports, Trump while speaking at a New Jersey press conference, said he advised Netanyahu to “get it over with” and end the violence.The report also suggested that Trump also rejected the notion that he was pushing Netanyahu against a ceasefire deal. “You want to get it over with fast. Have victory, get your victory, and get it over with. It has to stop, the killing has to stop,” Trump was quoted as saying by the Times of Israel.
The Axios report also suggested that Trump and Netanyahu had discussed the hostage situation in a recent call.
However, both Netanyahu’s office and Trump have refuted this claim. “Contrary to media reports, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not speak with former President Donald Trump,” a statement from Netanyahu’s office said.
The report, in Axios, cited two US sources. One source said Trump’s call was intended to encourage Netanyahu to take the deal, but stressed he did not know if this was indeed what the former president told Netanyahu. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Despite these denials, a new round of ceasefire negotiations is set for Thursday, involving Egypt, the US, and Qatar. Netanyahu’s office has confirmed ongoing negotiations, though Hamas announced it would not participate in the talks, with mediators expected to consult with the group afterward.
The US views a Gaza ceasefire as crucial to preventing a broader Middle Eastern conflict. Recent tensions have escalated following the killings of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran and Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut, both of which prompted threats of retaliation against Israel.
The ongoing conflict, sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, has resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths and about 250 hostages. Israel’s retaliatory assault on Gaza has caused nearly 40,000 Palestinian deaths, displaced nearly 2.3 million people, and led to a severe humanitarian crisis. The World Court has received genocide allegations against Israel, which Israel denies.
According to reports, Trump while speaking at a New Jersey press conference, said he advised Netanyahu to “get it over with” and end the violence.The report also suggested that Trump also rejected the notion that he was pushing Netanyahu against a ceasefire deal. “You want to get it over with fast. Have victory, get your victory, and get it over with. It has to stop, the killing has to stop,” Trump was quoted as saying by the Times of Israel.
The Axios report also suggested that Trump and Netanyahu had discussed the hostage situation in a recent call.
However, both Netanyahu’s office and Trump have refuted this claim. “Contrary to media reports, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not speak with former President Donald Trump,” a statement from Netanyahu’s office said.
The report, in Axios, cited two US sources. One source said Trump’s call was intended to encourage Netanyahu to take the deal, but stressed he did not know if this was indeed what the former president told Netanyahu. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Despite these denials, a new round of ceasefire negotiations is set for Thursday, involving Egypt, the US, and Qatar. Netanyahu’s office has confirmed ongoing negotiations, though Hamas announced it would not participate in the talks, with mediators expected to consult with the group afterward.
The US views a Gaza ceasefire as crucial to preventing a broader Middle Eastern conflict. Recent tensions have escalated following the killings of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran and Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut, both of which prompted threats of retaliation against Israel.
The ongoing conflict, sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, has resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths and about 250 hostages. Israel’s retaliatory assault on Gaza has caused nearly 40,000 Palestinian deaths, displaced nearly 2.3 million people, and led to a severe humanitarian crisis. The World Court has received genocide allegations against Israel, which Israel denies.