Netanyahu, Trump To Meet On Dec 29, Discuss "Opportunities For Peace": Report

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet President Donald Trump in the United States on December 29, a spokeswoman for the premier's office told AFP on Tuesday.

It will be Netanyahu's fifth visit to meet Trump in the US since the start of the year and comes after the prime minister said he expected the second phase of the US-sponsored ceasefire plan for Gaza to begin soon.

"The meeting between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu will take place Monday, December 29," Shosh Bedrosian, spokeswoman for the prime minister's office, said, without providing details of the location or duration of the visit.

Israel's Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu and Trump were expected to meet twice during an eight-day visit to the United States by the Israeli prime minister. 

It said Netanyahu would visit Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. 

Netanyahu said on Sunday he would meet Trump later in December to discuss "opportunities for peace" in the Middle East, with his office saying he was invited to the White House during a phone call with the president.

Netanyahu also said he expected the second phase of the Gaza truce plan to begin soon.

"We very shortly expect to move into the second phase, which is more difficult," he said.

The first phase of the truce, in effect since October 10, has halted the war that began after Hamas's deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

It has also seen militants release 47 out of 48 hostages held in Gaza, including the last 20 living captives.

The second stage of the plan concerns disarming Hamas, the further withdrawal of Israeli forces as a transitional authority is established, and the deployment of an international stabilisation force.

The United States is the primary military and diplomatic supporter of Israel but areas of tension have emerged between the two allies, including the issue of annexing the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Several members of Netanyahu's government have called for the territory to be annexed but Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio have voiced their firm opposition to such a move. 

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