Egypt Daily News – During his second meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged for the first time the high cost Israel has paid in the ongoing war in Gaza, describing it as a “heavy price.”
In a statement posted early Wednesday on the social media platform X, Netanyahu confirmed the meeting, saying, “I held another meeting with President Trump at the White House, followed by a brief conversation with Vice President James Vance.”
Netanyahu arrived in the United States on Sunday, meeting Trump for the first time early Tuesday. He is expected to leave Washington on Thursday.
Addressing Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, Netanyahu said: “We are focused on freeing our hostages and will not relent for a moment. This is only possible due to the military pressure applied by our soldiers.”
On Friday evening, Hamas announced that it had submitted its official response to a proposed ceasefire deal via mediators. The group described its response as “positive” and expressed its readiness to begin immediate negotiations on implementing the proposal. Despite this, Netanyahu’s government has been accused of stalling and continuing military operations in Gaza.
Speaking about the toll on the Israeli military, Netanyahu admitted, “This effort is costing us dearly, with the loss of some of our finest sons, officers and soldiers.”
Despite the losses, Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s war goals: “We are determined to achieve all our objectives—securing the release of all our hostages, dismantling Hamas’s military and governmental capabilities, and ensuring that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel.”
Early Tuesday, the Israeli military announced that five soldiers from the Netzah Yehuda Battalion were killed in northern Gaza on Monday evening. Fourteen others were wounded, including two in critical condition.
Meanwhile, the military wing of Hamas, Al-Qassam Brigades, continues to claim responsibility for what it describes as “special operations” against Israeli forces, resulting in casualties. However, Israel maintains strict media censorship and rarely discloses the full extent of its losses.
Netanyahu also discussed what he called the “consequences and opportunities” following what he termed a “great victory over Iran.” According to Israeli sources, Israel, with U.S. backing, launched a 12-day offensive against Iran starting June 13. The campaign included strikes on military, nuclear, and civilian targets, as well as the assassinations of military leaders and nuclear scientists. In response, Iran reportedly launched ballistic missile and drone attacks on Israeli military and intelligence sites.
On the topic of normalization with Arab nations, Netanyahu reiterated his government’s commitment to expanding the Abraham Accords. “There are opportunities here to broaden the circle of peace and expand the scope of the Abraham Accords. We are working on this with great determination,” he said.
Despite ongoing Israeli military actions in multiple Arab countries, Netanyahu expressed optimism, stating, “We are making a joint effort today to realize a great future for the Middle East and a great future for the State of Israel.”
According to Israel’s public broadcaster, the Netanyahu-Trump meeting lasted about an hour and a half but concluded without a joint statement.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has faced growing international criticism over its military campaign in Gaza, which has resulted in widespread destruction and humanitarian catastrophe. The war has left more than 194,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them women and children. Over 10,000 people are still missing, while hundreds of thousands have been displaced. The ongoing siege has also led to severe famine, causing the deaths of many, including dozens of children.
