President Trump will reportedly convene a high-level White House meeting on Wednesday in an effort to break the deadlock in negotiations between Israel and Hamas and to chart a postwar course for Gaza, according to three officials familiar with the plans.
The session, which will bring together senior U.S. national-security officials and Israeli leaders, represents a renewed American push to end the fighting on terms favorable to Israel and to prevent other Western nations from unilaterally recognizing a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly next month.
Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, signaled optimism that the administration’s approach could succeed where others have failed. “It is a very comprehensive plan we are putting together on the next day,” Witkoff said in a Fox News interview on Tuesday. “Many people are going to see how robust it is and how well-meaning it is, and it reflects President Trump’s humanitarian motives here.”
Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, a close ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will lead the Israeli delegation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also serving as acting national-security adviser, was scheduled to meet separately with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.
Israel has pressed to finalize a postwar Gaza plan before the U.N. summit in September, when nations including France and Canada are expected to recognize a Palestinian state. Both the U.S. and Israel have sharply condemned such moves, warning that recognition would “reward Hamas” for the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks that ignited the conflict.
Earlier this month, Israel’s security cabinet approved five principles for ending the war, including Gaza’s demilitarization, Hamas’s disarmament, the establishment of an alternative civilian authority, and continued Israeli security control. Hamas has rejected those terms, with Arab mediators dismissing them as unrealistic.
The Trump administration, while working with Arab partners on cease-fire arrangements, has made clear that removing Hamas from power remains a central objective. “This war will not end until all the hostages are released,” Israel’s ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, said Wednesday. “This war will not end until Hamas is defeated.”
A White House spokesperson echoed that position, saying, “President Trump has been clear that he wants the war to end, and he wants peace and prosperity for everyone in the region.”
The meeting will also draw on outside expertise. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, recently briefed Trump on proposals for postwar stabilization and governance in Gaza, including economic assistance and possible U.S. involvement.
Hamas earlier this month rejected an Arab plan that would have transferred control of Gaza to an international force, offering instead a temporary cease-fire. Israeli officials have signaled that incremental deals are unlikely to stop the conflict. Netanyahu has approved mobilizing 60,000 reservists for a potential Gaza City operation in September, a move families of hostages oppose out of fear for their loved ones.
Despite mounting protests in Israel urging an immediate deal, Trump and Netanyahu appear aligned on the need for a decisive outcome: the defeat of Hamas and the establishment of a sustainable postwar order.
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