White House Cancels Trump-Netanyahu Press Conference Amid Gaza Deal Talks

Meeting shifts to private Oval Office session as Netanyahu discusses Gaza prisoner exchange efforts with Trump envoy in Washington.

Watan-In a statement on Monday, the White House said the joint press conference listed on President Trump’s schedule for the day “will not take place.” Instead, the two sides will answer questions in the Oval Office from a smaller group of journalists.

The White House did not provide any clarification regarding the reason for canceling the joint press conference between Trump and Netanyahu.

Earlier on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with U.S. Presidential Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, in Washington, to discuss efforts to reach a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas, according to Hebrew media.

Netanyahu’s office posted on its account on the platform “X”: “The Prime Minister is currently meeting at Blair House (the U.S. President’s guesthouse) in Washington with President (Donald) Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.”

Gaza hostages deal
U.S. envoy Steve Whitcoff

Netanyahu Meets Trump Envoy in D.C.

The statement did not mention the specific issues discussed during the meeting.

However, the Hebrew news site “Walla” quoted an unnamed Israeli official saying that “the meeting is focused on efforts to secure the release of hostages in Gaza and attempts by mediators to propose a new settlement offer that could lead to a deal.”

On March 1, 2025, the first phase of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Hamas and Israel ended. That agreement began on January 19, 2025, brokered by Egypt and Qatar with U.S. support, and was adhered to by the Palestinian group.

However, Netanyahu—who is wanted for international justice—reneged on starting the second phase and resumed the genocide in Gaza on March 18 in response to pressure from the most extreme wing of his far-right government, according to Hebrew media.

Tel Aviv estimates that there are 59 Israeli captives in the Gaza Strip, 24 of whom are alive, while over 9,500 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons. They suffer from torture, starvation, and medical neglect, which has led to the deaths of many, according to human rights reports and Palestinian and Israeli media.

Exit mobile version