A tense phone call between Trump and Netanyahu led to Israel announcing a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip after Hamas’s approval on the agreement
Following Hamas’s conditional acceptance of Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a tense phone call, as Trump viewed the response as an opportunity to reach an agreement, while Netanyahu considered it meaning nothing.
According to a US official, the call reported that Netanyahu “told Trump there was nothing to celebrate, and that it meant nothing”.
Trump responded angrily, saying, “I don’t know why you’re always so damn negative… That’s a win, take it”.
Trump spoke about the call in a brief interview with Axios on Saturday, saying he told Netanyahu that this was his “opportunity to win,” adding that Netanyahu ultimately agreed.
The US president added: “He was fine with it… He should be fine with it… He has no choice… With me, you should be fine”.
Shortly after the call, Trump issued a statement calling on Israel to halt its airstrikes on Gaza, and just three hours later, Netanyahu issued the order.
In private consultations on Friday, Netanyahu emphasized that he viewed Hamas’s response as a rejection of the Trump plan and expressed his desire to coordinate Israel’s response with Washington to avoid the emergence of a narrative that Hamas responded positively, an Israeli official told Axios.
Trump’s mood was completely different. as he was concerned that Hamas would reject the plan outright, and viewed its response as an opportunity to reach an agreement, according to a senior US official.
When Trump called Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister’s lukewarm response wasn’t what he had expected, two US officials said, which is why Trump responded angrily.
Netanyahu’s aides emphasized on Saturday that the prime minister and the US president are on good terms, and Netanyahu recorded a video message praising Trump and emphasizing points he agrees with in his recent statements.
But a US official said the dynamic between them in the Friday call was more tense, and that Trump was upset.
Despite the “difficult and decisive” discussions, the two US officials confirmed that the two sides were able to reach an agreement.
It’s worth noting that Hamas, in its official response to the Trump plan, announced its willingness to release all remaining hostages in exchange for an end to the war and a full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, but requested negotiations on many details.
Meanwhile, Trump continued to pressure both sides to reach an agreement on Saturday.
He sent a public message to Hamas, warning the movement against using stalling tactics and stressing that if Hamas didn’t proceed with the release of the hostages, the agreement would be canceled.
The US president also managed to persuade Israel to agree to an updated map for the initial withdrawal of its forces from parts of Gaza.
Indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel are scheduled to begin tomorrow, Monday, in Egypt, with the participation of Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, in an attempt to complete an agreement within this week.
