Hostages, Iran and Saudi Arabia: The Crucial Meeting Between Netanyahu and Trump
Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump are set to discuss many key issues for Israel. Here's what you need to know.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with US President Donald Trump in a few hours today (Tuesday), against the backdrop of a hostage deal signed days before the Republican president's entry to the White House.
The leaders are expected to primarily discuss Gaza and the hostage deal, including details about the second phase of the deal. Iran will also be on the agenda, and possibly normalization with Saudi Arabia, as Trump promised to expand the Abraham Accords.
Against the backdrop of changes in the Middle East since Trump's first term, and especially during the last year of war, the Prime Minister wants to enter the Oval Office equipped with a clear and firm position regarding Israel's stance, particularly after a controversial deal was signed.
The Hostage Deal
Yesterday was the 16th day of the deal between Israel and Hamas. According to the agreement, Israel and Hamas began internal meetings to discuss the next phase of the deal, if it arrives at the end of 42 days.
Trump's general position is clear: prevent wars and not start them, and even end those that began before his term. However, White House sources briefed journalists today that the President's position is that Hamas cannot control Gaza anymore, a position on which there is clear agreement between Israel and Republican America, while President Biden refused to explicitly state this in the second half of the war.
Netanyahu faces domestic pressure to return to fighting at the end of the first phase, and his true position regarding the second phase is currently unclear. However, it appears that Trump's envoy is indeed interested in completing the deal in full.
Gaza Strip
The US President is looking for a way to avoid restarting the war while simultaneously removing Hamas from power in Gaza. His idea to evacuate Gazans from the Strip might be primarily related to the understanding that Hamas cannot govern Gaza, rather than the fact that Gaza has become ruins, as White House officials explained to journalists today.
'President Trump looks at the Gaza Strip and sees a demolition site,' said the senior official. 'He sees that it's impractical to rebuild the area within three to five years and believes it will take at least 10 to 15 years to make it habitable again. It's inhumane to force people to live on land full of unexploded ordnance and debris.' As mentioned, it's possible that the understanding that the terrorist organization cannot be a governing body in Gaza has also penetrated the White House and led to this revolutionary idea.
Saudi Arabia and Iran
The leaders are also expected to discuss the Iranian issue, as particularly concerning reports from recent weeks indicate that Iran has come very close to becoming a nuclear power. As an aside, it should be noted that some experts believe Iran has already reached sufficient enrichment levels for developing nuclear bombs, though this position is less widely accepted.
It's also unclear whether the Prime Minister himself believes in the effectiveness of the maximum pressure policy that President Trump announced today, or if Netanyahu will demand immediate military action, which the Trump administration seems likely to refuse at this time regarding Gaza, at least until an initial diplomatic attempt is made between the new administration and the terror government in Tehran.
The Iranian issue is simultaneously connected to the Saudi matter, as President Trump has committed to expanding the Abraham Accords. Despite the rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Saudi Arabia likely still wants a US security umbrella against Iran, even at the 'price' of peace with Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu has repeatedly expressed his desire to reach a peace agreement with the kingdom, but Saudi Arabia demands certain recognition on the Palestinian issue in return.
Trump, who wants to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, will need to find a way to square the circle between Israel and Saudi Arabia. It's also likely that Saudi Arabia will refuse to discuss peace if the war in Gaza resumes.
Last month, when asked about striking Iran, Trump said: 'I hope we can resolve this without getting there... It would really be nice if we could resolve this without taking that additional step.'
The personal relationship between Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Trump is also expected to be in the spotlight for journalists and millions of viewers in Israel and worldwide today.
As a reminder, President Trump previously cursed the Prime Minister in particularly harsh words after he called to congratulate President Biden in 2021.
Since then, the leaders have already met for a smiling meeting and held several conversations, but it will be interesting to see if the relationships that appear close at this stage will continue to be so if a direct confrontation develops between Trump and Netanyahu.
For now, it seems, both leaders continue to hold equal or similar views, at least in public statements released to the media.
The meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump is expected to take place tonight at 23:00 Israel time.