U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for pivotal talks on Monday, urging him to support a peace proposal aimed at ending the nearly two-year-old war in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Washington on Monday for the fourth time since Donald Trump returned to office in January, aiming to strengthen Israel’s key alliance with the United States amid recent Western recognition of Palestinian statehood—moves both leaders have criticised as concessions to Hamas.
The White House unveiled a new 20-point peace plan for Gaza, calling for an immediate end to the fighting and the return of all hostages, living and deceased, within 72 hours of Israel’s public acceptance. Israeli forces would pull back to agreed lines, and in exchange, Israel would release 250 Palestinians serving life sentences and 1,700 Gazans detained since 7 October 2023.
Standing alongside Netanyahu, U.S. President Donald Trump said Israel and its partners were “beyond very close” to an agreement that could not only end the war in Gaza but also pave the way for wider regional peace involving Arab states. Trump said it is now up to Hamas to accept the plan.
“We’re not done yet,” he told reporters. “We need Hamas to agree, and I believe they can. Now it’s time for them to accept the terms of the plan we’ve put forward today.” He called the proposal “extremely fair” and acknowledged that building peace will not be easy. Trump added that Arab and Muslim partners are ready to support the people of Gaza, a trilateral security mechanism has been agreed, and the plan envisions a phased Israeli withdrawal. If Hamas accepts, all hostages will be freed. The plan also establishes an international oversight body, the Board of Peace, to monitor implementation.
On the topic of regional peace, Trump brought up the Abraham Accords, suggesting that Iran could eventually join the historic agreement that normalized relations between Israel and four Muslim-majority nations during his first term. Standing beside Netanyahu, he said, “Who knows, maybe even Iran can get in there. I think they're going to be open to it. I really believe that. But they could be a member.”
Both leaders stressed the broader regional goals.
Netanyahu voiced full support for the Gaza plan, saying the plan achieves Israel’s war aims, dismantles Hamas’ military capabilities, and ensures Gaza never again poses a threat. He said Gaza would be demilitarised and governed by a peaceful civilian administration, while the Palestinian Authority cannot play a role without major reforms. Netanyahu also warned that if Hamas rejects the plan, Israel will act to complete the mission independently.
Qatar says it has delivered a U.S. ceasefire proposal to Hamas, which is reportedly reviewing it positively, Egyptian media say, citing security sources.
Trump thanked Netanyahu for agreeing to the 20-point Gaza peace plan, saying it marked a critical step toward ending the conflict, restoring stability, and paving the way for broader regional cooperation.
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Kazakhstan has vowed to speed up its investigation into the Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) crash near Aktau, as mounting diplomatic pressure and geopolitical tensions push the disaster further into the international spotlight.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said the United States has a “virtually unlimited supply” of munitions and is capable of sustaining military action indefinitely, as the conflict with Iran entered its fourth day.
The United Nations has called for an investigation into a deadly attack on a girls’ primary school in Iran, which Iranian officials say has killed more than 100 children. The U.S. has said its forces “would not” deliberately target a school.
Shahid Motahari Sub-Speciality Hospital in northern Tehran and parts of the Golestan Palace were bombed on day two of the U.S.‑Israel strikes. AnewZ Touraj Shiralilou is in Iran's capital city and said that the facility was flattened in an airstrike.
The Kremlin is utilising the recent United States and Israeli military strikes on Iran to validate its ongoing war in Ukraine. Russian officials are pointing to the escalation in the Middle East as evidence that Western nations do not adhere to international rules.
Saudi Arabia’s state oil giant Saudi Aramco closed its Ras Tanura refinery on Monday following an Iranian drone strike, an industry source told Reuters as Tehran retaliated across the Gulf after a U.S.-Israeli attack on Iranian targets over the weekend.
The Middle East crisis intensifies after the deadly attack on the compound of the Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei on Saturday that killed him, other family members and senior figures. Iran has launched retaliatory strikes on U.S. targets in the region.
U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. military has enough stockpiled weapons to fight wars "forever"; in a social media post late on Monday. The remarks came hours before conflict in Iran and the Middle East entered its fourth day.
Türkiye raised its security level for Turkish-flagged vessels in the Strait of Hormuz to Level 3 on Sunday (2 March). The development follows Iranian restrictions on shipping after U.S. and Israeli strikes and confirmation of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s death.
Strikes across the Middle East are intensifying, fuelling travel disruption, driving up global energy prices and forcing diplomatic missions to shut their doors as tensions continue to rise.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said the United States has a “virtually unlimited supply” of munitions and is capable of sustaining military action indefinitely, as the conflict with Iran entered its fourth day.
The United Nations has called for an investigation into a deadly attack on a girls’ primary school in Iran, which Iranian officials say has killed more than 100 children. The U.S. has said its forces “would not” deliberately target a school.
U.S. first lady, Melania Trump chaired a UN Security Council meeting on children and education in conflict on Monday (2 March), a move criticised by Iran as hypocritical following U.S. and Israeli strikes that triggered a UN warning about risks to children.
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