Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
US President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in a meeting marked by uncompromising messages on Gaza, Iran, and the wider regional balance, as Washington presses for rapid movement on stalled diplomatic tracks.
Gaza dominated the talks, which Trump said covered five principal files. He stressed that disarming Hamas is essential to advancing the ceasefire agreement and moving swiftly into its second phase. Trump expressed hope for quick progress, saying discussions on the reconstruction of Gaza would begin soon, and added that the United States is making every effort to recover the remains of the last Israeli hostage believed to be held in the territory.
The emphasis on Hamas’s disarmament comes amid intensifying debate over the future of the group’s military wing. Israel and the United States have increasingly linked the transition to the next phase of the Gaza agreement to the removal of Hamas’s weapons, a position the group has publicly rejected. In recent statements, a newly appointed spokesman for Hamas’s armed wing said the movement would not relinquish its arms as long as what it describes as occupation continues, underscoring the gap between the parties at a delicate moment in the negotiations.
Trump’s meeting with Netanyahu also featured unusually direct threats toward Iran. The president warned that the United States would launch an immediate attack if Tehran continued developing its missile programs or attempted to rebuild its nuclear capabilities. He urged Iranian leaders to pursue a deal instead, arguing that diplomacy would be a far wiser course than renewed confrontation.
“I’ve heard Iran wants to make a deal,” Trump said, adding that such an agreement should have been reached before US strikes carried out earlier this year. Those attacks, which targeted three Iranian nuclear sites, were later described by Trump as a major military success. He reiterated that Washington would act “immediately” if Iran sought to revive its programs, repeating that any rebuilt capabilities would be “completely destroyed.”
Netanyahu, for his part, has warned in recent weeks that Iran is again expanding its ballistic missile program. Israeli officials are expected to use the current visit to press for further US action, arguing that time is limited to prevent Tehran from restoring and advancing its military capabilities.
Beyond Gaza and Iran, Trump signaled openness to a broader regional role for Turkey. He welcomed the idea of Turkish participation in a proposed Gaza peace council and an international stabilization force, saying he would discuss the matter with Netanyahu and raise it with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, including the possible deployment of Turkish troops as part of such a force.
Trump also touched on Syria, offering rare praise for Syria’s transitional president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, whom he said was doing “a good job.” He expressed hope for an eventual agreement between Syria and Israel and said he wished to see Netanyahu on better terms with Damascus, remarks that suggest tentative US interest in reshaping regional alignments after years of conflict.
In comments that drew attention, Trump said he had held “good and productive” talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He added that Putin had told him one of his residences had come under Ukrainian attack, an incident Trump said he disliked, without providing further detail.
Domestically, Trump made a pointed show of support for Netanyahu, saying the Israeli leader had told him that a pardon was forthcoming in his legal cases. Trump described Netanyahu as a strong and sometimes tough figure and said Israel “will not find a better friend” than him. After the two leaders sat down for talks, Trump told reporters that three issues had been settled within the first five minutes of the meeting, without specifying which ones.
Israeli Presidency Rebuts Trump’s Claim That Netanyahu Pardon Is Imminent
Israel’s president’s office has issued a rare public denial after US President Donald Trump claimed that a pardon for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “on its way,” highlighting sensitivities around Israel’s legal system and the ongoing corruption trial against the Israeli leader.
In a statement released shortly after Trump’s remarks, the office of President Isaac Herzog directly contradicted the account given by the US president. It said there had been no direct communication between Herzog and Trump regarding a pardon for Netanyahu and stressed that no such assurance had been given.
“There has been no conversation between President Herzog and President Trump since the pardon request was submitted,” the statement said. It added that several weeks earlier, Herzog had spoken only with a representative of Trump, who had inquired about the matter and was briefed on the formal process. Any decision, the statement emphasized, would be handled strictly according to standard legal procedures.
Netanyahu’s visit comes as US pressure grows to prevent the Gaza ceasefire from collapsing and to avoid a broader regional escalation involving Iran, Hezbollah, and other armed groups. The discussions at Mar-a-Lago reflect an American approach that combines diplomatic urgency with overt military threats, as Trump seeks to reshape multiple conflict zones simultaneously while signaling unwavering support for Israel.
Whether the hard-line messages delivered in Florida will accelerate agreements or further harden positions across the region remains uncertain. What is clear is that the meeting set a confrontational tone, with Washington framing disarmament, deterrence, and rapid decision-making as the price of progress on some of the Middle East’s most entrenched crises.
