Netanyahu to Meet Trump Again as Hamas Talks Advance and ‘No Hamas’ Plan Takes Shape

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet U.S. President Donald Trump again on July 8, 2025, less than 24 hours after their White House dinner, as indirect negotiations in Doha signal “significant” progress toward a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas. A senior Israeli official reported that 80-90% of the deal’s terms are settled, with “supreme coordination” between Jerusalem and Washington on Gaza, Iran, and regional stability. However, the critical issue of whether the agreement will permanently end the 21-month war, triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and abducted 251, remains unresolved. Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, who attended the dinner, noted that Hamas’s initial response to Qatar’s proposal was “in essence, no,” but added, “the gaps are small enough to continue talks.”

During Monday’s dinner, Netanyahu gifted Trump a mezuzah made from Iranian missile shrapnel shaped like a B-2 bomber, thanking the U.S. for its role in dismantling Iran’s nuclear program during a joint 12-day aerial campaign in June 2025. As a third round of talks began in Doha on Tuesday, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said negotiations “need time,” with delegations discussing frameworks separately. A Qatari newspaper reported progress on humanitarian aid delivery, with Hamas insisting on UN oversight rather than the Israel- and U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has been criticized after 408 Palestinians were killed near its aid sites by June 28, 2025.

Despite Trump and envoy Steve Witkoff’s pressure for a deal, with Witkoff set to join Doha talks, Israel emphasized “total coordination” with the U.S. A senior official highlighted “full trust and coordination,” noting Trump’s expectation of an agreement this week. Discussions focus on IDF partial withdrawal during a 60-day ceasefire, with Israel presenting a pullback map, though Hamas’s demand for a full return to pre-March 2 truce lines has softened. The core dispute persists: Israel seeks a temporary pause, while Hamas demands a permanent end. A senior Israeli official outlined Israel’s vision: “There is no more Hamas,” with the group disarmed, leaders exiled, and another force preventing weapon use. The official added, “Israel might need to temporarily manage life in Gaza before transitioning authority to another entity,” and expressed confidence in Trump’s support for encouraging Gazan emigration, a proposal the Palestinian presidency rejects as violating international law.

On Iran, the official described “very significant accomplishments” from the joint campaign, stressing “unprecedented coordination based on gradually built trust” without a U.S. “green light” for Israel’s strikes. A senior political source suggested another Netanyahu-Trump meeting this week if progress justifies it, possibly on Gaza or Syria talks, though “considerable gaps” remain. The source detailed Israel’s goal to “collapse Hamas’s civilian governance” by ending its food distribution control and neutralizing its military capabilities, ensuring “no Hamas” remains. No decision has been made on the replacing force, but it won’t involve the Palestinian Authority, and Israel rejects calls for a Palestinian state. Netanyahu’s visit includes meetings with Vice President JD Vance, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader John Thune, Senator John Fetterman, and others, following prior talks with Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.