Trump to be ‘very firm’ with Netanyahu over Gaza

Trump says the Israeli prime minister ‘wants to end the war’ and a ceasefire deal could be agreed next week, ahead of his meeting with Netanyahu on Monday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet Donald Trump at the White House next week. Picture: AFP.

President Trump has said he will be “very firm” with Benjamin Netanyahu when the two leaders meet at the White House next week about pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Trump said the Israeli prime minister “wants to end the war”, adding that a deal to release the remaining Israeli hostages could be agreed next week.

“We hope it’s going to happen,” he told reporters as he left Washington for a day trip to Florida.

Hamas has said it is willing to free the remaining hostages in Gaza under any deal to end the war, but the group has refused to lay down its arms. Israel has said the conflict can end only if Hamas is disarmed and dismantled.

The Israeli military has stepped up its air strikes on Gaza and admitted that Palestinians were killed by “inaccurate and uncalculated” military fire while trying to reach aid supplies.

More than 500 Palestinians have been killed and 4,000 wounded while queuing for food in areas designated as distribution zones by the Israel Defence Forces, according to the Gaza health ministry. Since a blockade on the territory was partly lifted in May, the IDF has denied that its soldiers shot at aid recipients, blaming the deaths on Hamas and local armed gangs.

However, on Monday it made a rare admission. “Following incidents in which harm to civilians who arrived at distribution facilities was reported, thorough examinations were conducted in the Southern Command and instructions were issued to forces in the field following lessons learnt,” a statement from the IDF said.

Senior IDF officers quoted by Israeli media suggested that 30 to 40 civilians had been targeted.

The Times