Netanyahu travels to Washington seeking a ceasefire that will not weaken him.

BeirutAmid a bogged-down war, a fragile coalition, and growing international pressure, Benjamin Netanyahu travels to Washington this Monday to meet with US President Donald Trump. It will be the first face-to-face meeting since the end of the war between Israel and Iran, and could become a turning point for the conflict in Gaza, where more than 57,000 people have died since October 2023, according to sources from the Gaza Ministry of Health.

The visit comes at a time of heightened tension, but also of opportunity. After months of indirect negotiations led by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, the parties appear closer than ever to a ceasefire agreement. Hamas responded on Friday "positively" in the latest proposal. Israel, while not giving an official response, confirmed it will send a delegation to Doha to continue the talks.

The negotiated framework provides for a 60-day cessation of hostilities, exchanges of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, a massive increase in humanitarian aid, and the start of formal negotiations for a long-term political solution.

But key differences have yet to be resolved. Hamas is demanding guarantees of an Israeli military withdrawal and a permanent ceasefire, while Netanyahu insists he will not accept a truce without a clear defeat of the Islamist group.

Netanyahu has for months avoided accepting an agreement like the one now on the table. Part of that resistance has been internal. His government's far-right partners threaten to overthrow him if he gives in to Hamas. But it has also been a matter of narrative. Since the beginning of the offensive, the prime minister has insisted on the need for total victory. Recognizing that this goal is unattainable and signing a truce would mean accepting, at least partially, that Israel has not succeeded in completely dismantling its enemy.

However, something has begun to change. Senior Israeli military and intelligence officials have been warning for months that the primary objective, which is to significantly weaken Hamas, has already been achieved, and that recovering the hostages will only be possible through an agreement. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir went further last week, stating that the army will present political leaders with operational options for the next phases, and that Hamas has been further weakened after the offensive against Iran, the main regional patron.

The meeting with Trump represents an opportunity for Netanyahu, but also a risk. The US president has put pressure on both sides to close a deal and assured that Israel has already accepted the basic outline. Through its special envoy, Steve Witkoff, the White House has reactivated a negotiation framework that contemplates the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops, although without specifying timeframes or conditions, which allows for divergent interpretations.

Netanyahu does not openly oppose the plan, but neither does he clearly support it. His strategy has been to show his willingness to negotiate while promoting amendments that dilute the most sensitive obligations. According to diplomatic sources, his objective is to buy time and demonstrate a willingness to engage in dialogue with Washington without compromising his domestic base. In this balance, Trump can play a key role. He can pressure Netanyahu precisely to close a deal, but without making him waver at home.

Internal pressures from extremists

For the Israeli prime minister, the photo with Trump in the Oval Office is not just an image of international support. It is also a message to the coalition that the concessions are part of a coordinated strategy with the United States. And that any withdrawal will be partial, gradual, and reversible. But his more radical partners, such as Ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, have already warned that they will not accept an agreement that implies ceding military control of Gaza without a total defeat of Hamas.

From the White House, Netanyahu's trip also has a broader significance. Trump seeks to consolidate an image of foreign policy leadership. After ordering attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, he now wants to show himself as the only one capable of reaching an agreement in one of the world's most persistent conflicts. The reactivation of channels with Saudi Arabia, the possibility of an opening with Syria, and the joint pressure from regional actors mean that Washington sees this situation as an opportunity for something more than a truce. It is also projected as a possible strategic reconfiguration of the region.

Meanwhile, in Gaza, the situation remains desperate. Humanitarian conditions deteriorate every day, aid corridors remain under threat, and Civilians continue to pay the price of war that no one has been able to or known how to resolve so far. This Monday's meeting in Washington will not resolve the underlying conflict. But it may be the first step toward closing it.