How is Egypt Connected to Netanyahu's Mar-a-Lago Summons?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to visit the United States for an eight-day stay starting December 28, centered on a key meeting with President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on December 29. The trip, confirmed by Netanyahu's office on Monday, marks the leaders' fifth in-person encounter this year and comes amid U.S. pressure to transition to the second phase of Trump's 20-point Gaza ceasefire framework before Christmas.

According to a Channel 12 report, the White House is actively working to include Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in the Mar-a-Lago discussions, aiming to secure Israeli buy-in for a strategic Gaza arrangement involving Cairo. Egypt has played a pivotal mediation role in the October truce that ended two years of open conflict, facilitating hostage releases and aid flows.

Netanyahu is also slated for two sit-downs with Trump, plus separate meetings with Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth—focusing on Gaza's post-ceasefire governance, regional security, and broader Middle East dynamics.U.S. officials have informed Jerusalem that Trump intends to publicly announce the shift to Phase 2 by mid-December, introducing an initial civil administration model for Rafah—the southern Gaza crossing point long central to aid and evacuation efforts.

This phase envisions Israeli troop withdrawals, deployment of an international stabilization force to oversee demilitarization, and establishment of a technocratic Palestinian authority under a Trump-led "Board of Peace." Netanyahu expressed optimism Sunday, telling reporters alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz that Phase 2 is "close," but highlighted unresolved hurdles: timelines, force composition, and alternatives if no multinational troops volunteer for Hamas disarmament duties.

The agenda builds on prior talks, including the leaders' September 29 White House session where the Gaza outline was first detailed. Recent tensions, such as Hamas's refusal to return the body of fallen IDF soldier Sgt. 1st Class Ran Gvili (killed defending Kibbutz Alumim on October 7, 2023) as required under the truce, have stalled progress. Netanyahu vowed Sunday, "We'll get him out," while voicing skepticism over foreign forces' willingness to confront Hamas.

Israel has partitioned Gaza into sectors via a Kiryat Gat-based coordination hub for sequential neutralization, but no country has committed troops yet.

Broader context includes Trump's December 1 phone call with Netanyahu, where he warned Israel against "interfering" in Syria via strikes that could derail emerging U.S.-Syrian security pacts.

The Florida venue, near Netanyahu's son's residence, avoids Washington amid U.S. holiday closures and aligns with Trump's preference for Mar-a-Lago diplomacy.

Netanyahu's far-right coalition has boycotted Knesset votes endorsing the plan, with some pushing Gaza annexation (opposed by Trump and Rubio), but the PM has defended the framework as ensuring demilitarization without Hamas rule.Hamas officials, meanwhile, claim Israeli "violations" block Phase 2, urging mediators to enforce compliance. The trip could also touch on Lebanon.