Last Updated:April 08, 2025, 07:57 IST
Donald Trump expressed hope for an end to the Gaza war during a meeting with Israeli PM Netanyahu, reaffirming efforts to free hostages. Trump also revived his proposal to relocate Gaza population.
Donald Trump meets Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Reuters)
Donald Trump on Monday held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House and said he was hopeful that the ongoing Gaza war would end soon. The two leaders also said Israel was working on a fresh hostage deal.
“I’d like to see the war stop, and I think the war will stop at some point, that won’t be in the too-distant future,” the US President said when asked if he would deliver on his election campaign promise to end the war in Gaza.
He also said work was ongoing to free hostages held by Hamas, but said securing the release of all the hostages was “a long process.”
Trump said having “a peace force like the United States there controlling and owning the Gaza Strip would be a good thing” and once again suggested that Palestinians from Gaza could be moved to different countries.
REPORTER: Many Palestinian-Americans voted for you because you promised them to end the war in Gaza. The war is still going on.TRUMP: The war will stop at some point that won’t be in the too distant future. pic.twitter.com/fquacBT9Df
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 7, 2025
The statements came as Trump and Netanyahu spoke to reporters in the Oval Office after their meeting.
In his opening remarks, Trump called the United States “a friend of Israel” and said it was an honour to have Netanyahu at the White House.
Soon after their meeting, Netanyahu, in an X post, shared glimpses of the talks and wrote, “President Trump has been a remarkable friend of the State of Israel. He has been a great champion of our alliance. We are working together to bring our hostages home – all of them.
WILL TRUMP REDUCE TARIFFS ON ISRAEL?
Donald Trump was asked if he would reduce the tariffs his administration imposed on Israeli goods, to which he responded saying, “Maybe not”.
The US President also stressed the United States have helped Israel a lot.
“Maybe not,” Trump responded to the question.
“Don’t forget, we help Israel a lot. We give Israel four billion dollars a year, that’s a lot. Congratulations, by the way, that’s pretty good,” he added as he looked at Netanyahu.
Q: Do you plan to reduce the tariffs your government put on Israeli goods?Trump: Maybe not. Don’t forget, we help Israel a lot. We give Israel 4 billion dollars a year, that’s lot. [Looks at Netanyahu] Congratulations by the way, that’s pretty good… pic.twitter.com/ODrv25eVFU
— Assal Rad (@AssalRad) April 7, 2025
Meanwhile, the Israeli Prime Minister said, “We will eliminate the trade deficit with the United States. We intend to do it very quickly. We think it’s the right thing to do and we’re going to also eliminate trade barriers that have been put up unnecessarily.”
“I think Israel can serve as a model for many countries who ought to do the same. I’ve recognised the position of the United States as… we’re allowing other countries to put tariffs on us, but we don’t put tariffs on them, and I’m a free-trade champion, free trade as be fair trade,” he said.
“We are going to eliminate the tariffs rapidly,” Netanyahu added, as Trump nodded.
🚨 @IsraeliPM @netanyahu: “We will eliminate the trade deficit with the United States. We intend to do it very quickly. We think it’s the right thing to do and we’re going to also eliminate trade barriers… and I think Israel can serve as a model for many countries who ought to… pic.twitter.com/Hf6FqiIK3I— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 7, 2025
TRUMP ANNOUNCES DIRECT TALKS WITH IRAN
During the press briefing, Trump also said the United States was starting direct, high-level talks with Iran over its nuclear program on Saturday, but warned that the Islamic Republic would be in “great danger” if the talks failed.
“We’re having direct talks with Iran and they’ve started, it will go on Saturday. I think everybody agrees that doing a deal would be preferable to do in the obvious, and the obvious is not something I wanna be involved with. It’s getting to be a very dangerous territory and I’m hopeful those talks would be successful,” Trump said.
Hours later Tehran confirmed discussions were set for Saturday in Oman, but stressed they were “indirect” talks.
“Iran and the United States will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect high-level talks,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on social media platform X.
“It is as much an opportunity as it is a test,” he added. “The ball is in America’s court.”
Israel launched the war after Hamas-led fighters attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Israel has so far killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities.
Following the January ceasefire that saw some hostages released, Netanyahu said, Israel was working on “another deal we hope will succeed.”
“We’re committed to getting all the hostages out, but also eliminating the evil tyranny of Hamas in Gaza and enabling the people of Gaza to freely make a choice to go wherever they want,” he said.
Netanyahu said he had also discussed with Trump the US President’s “bold vision” for the future of Gaza, a reference to a proposal for the US to take over the enclave that Trump put forward multiple times during the opening weeks of his administration.
Trump’s plan has been globally condemned as a proposal for ethnic cleansing.