On Wednesday, one day after the Israeli attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar, an Israeli delegation including former Hamas hostages met with President Donald Trump at the White House.
The group included former hostages Ohad and Raz Ben Ami as well as the siblings of captive Evyatar David. The meeting was also attended by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff.
Trump said he convened the senior leadership team to demonstrate his full dedication to freeing all of the 48 captives still being held by Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip.
On Sunday, Trump suggested that there could be a deal “very soon” to end the war, expressing confidence in the latest American proposal.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Tuesday stressed that Jerusalem seeks to wrap up the conflict based on the truce proposal and according to the principles set by Israel’s Security Cabinet.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Aug. 14 reiterated the Cabinet’s goals for ending the war: the disarmament of Hamas, the return of all 48 remaining hostages, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, Israeli security control and establishing an alternative civilian administration in the enclave.
