Netanyahu departs for US to meet Trump on Gaza plan, Hezbollah tensions

PM scheduled to meet Rubio followed by US president on Monday, will meet Evangelical leaders at hotel on Wednesday, lawmakers and Jewish leaders at Miami synagogue

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took off on Sunday from Ben Gurion Airport headed for Florida, where he is set to meet with US President Donald Trump for talks expected to focus on the future of the Gaza Strip and ongoing threats from Hezbollah and Iran.

In a rare move, Netanyahu did not have reporters accompanying him on his flight and did not give a customary statement ahead of his departure.

Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump, the fifth since Trump returned to office in January for his second term, is scheduled at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate at 3:30 p.m. local time (10:30 p.m. Israel time) on Monday.

The visit comes with the US wanting to push ahead with the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, which is supposed to see the establishment of a Palestinian technocratic government for the Strip, overseen by a Trump-led Board of Peace, as well as the deployment of an International Stabilization Force as the IDF’s presence in the Strip is phased out.

Israel and Hamas have not formally signed on to the second phase of the deal, with both sides accusing the other of violating the terms of the first phase: Hamas has yet to return the body of one hostage, Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, while Israel has refused to open the Rafah Crossing in both directions, agreeing only to allow movement out of the Strip.

Talks are also expected to focus on Iran — with Israel said to be growing increasingly concerned that the Islamic Republic is rebuilding and even expanding its ballistic missile production in the wake of the nations’ 12-day war in June — and on Hezbollah, as Israel threatens to resume the war halted by a November 2024 ceasefire if the Lebanese government does not meet a New Year’s deadline imposed by the US for the terror group’s disarmament.

Netanyahu’s trip is slated to last until Thursday, though his public schedule is fairly sparse. Trump, who is meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, is expected to be on the golf course for much of the week, according to the Associated Press.

Ahead of his summit with Trump, Netanyahu will meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Netanyahu currently has nothing publicly scheduled for Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Netanyahu will meet Evangelical leaders at his hotel, then will head to the Bal Harbour synagogue in Miami for an event with lawmakers, Jewish and community leaders, and local students.

He is scheduled to take off for Israel on Thursday afternoon and is slated to land back in Israel early Friday afternoon.