Despite back-to-back meetings with Trump, Netanyahu departs Washington without progress on Gaza

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left the White House late Tuesday without announcing a breakthrough in the stalled Gaza ceasefire and hostage release negotiations, despite back-to-back meetings with US President Donald Trump.

The absence of any public statement after over an hour of Oval Office talks underscored the fragility of the process. Optimism had surged briefly after the last-minute addition of the meeting to Netanyahu’s schedule and bullish comments from US envoy Steve Witkoff. Yet the summit ended as it began: deadlocked.

Adding to signs of delay, Witkoff postponed his scheduled flight to Doha, where Israel-Hamas proximity talks have stalled. Sources familiar with the process said Witkoff had intended to fly to Qatar on Tuesday but informed mediators he would stay in Washington for now—suggesting more ground must be covered before his arrival would be useful.

In Doha, the fifth round of negotiations ended without progress, according to Saudi media. A Palestinian source accused Israel’s team of lacking the authority to negotiate, describing their role as “listeners” tied to Netanyahu and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, both in Washington.

“This is a continuation of Netanyahu’s stalling tactics,” the Palestinian official claimed.

Before Tuesday’s White House meeting, senior Qatari officials spent three hours with Witkoff discussing hostage release terms. According to US and Israeli sources, three of four key sticking points in the ceasefire framework are now considered resolved.

Witkoff said Hamas had agreed in principle to a UN-led humanitarian aid mechanism and guarantees that a 60-day truce would continue even if permanent ceasefire terms remain unfinished. Hostage-prisoner exchange details are close to finalised, though negotiators have yet to agree on who will be released.

But the final—and most explosive—issue remains unresolved: the partial withdrawal of Israeli forces during the 60-day ceasefire.

Israel insists it must retain control of the Morag Corridor in southern Gaza, where it plans to build a controversial “humanitarian city” to house Gazans under strict controls. Defense Minister Israel Katz’s briefing on the plan triggered outrage, with critics calling it a population confinement scheme masquerading as aid.

Hamas reacted sharply, hardening its stance in Doha and demanding clearer terms for Israeli troop withdrawals. Israel, in response, agreed to submit revised military maps of its proposed redeployment on Wednesday—after its initial submission was rejected.

“This will take time,” said a source close to the negotiations, who declined to elaborate on compromise terms.

Even as the US offered verbal assurances from Trump that the truce would hold regardless of progress on a permanent deal, Hamas is demanding that language be written into the ceasefire agreement—stripping out vague clauses about “good faith” negotiations.

Palestinian officials say Hamas is wary of promises after previously releasing hostages on US guarantees that they say failed to translate into real pressure on Israel.

Netanyahu, meanwhile, remained defiant during a separate appearance on Capitol Hill, insisting Israel would not end the war until Hamas is fully dismantled.

“We want a hostage deal on our terms,” he told reporters. “No Hamas governance, no Hamas military capability, and no Gaza threat to Israel.”

He confirmed accepting the latest ceasefire proposal in principle—but only on condition that it leads to the complete disempowerment of Hamas.

As five Israeli soldiers were killed in northern Gaza on Tuesday, critics at home questioned whether Netanyahu’s war objectives remain realistic—or if his continued operations will mire Israel in a conflict with no end in sight.

“We don’t plan to control Gaza,” Netanyahu said. “But we do plan for Hamas not to.”

A photo released by the White House showed Netanyahu holding a red hat reading: “Trump was right about everything.” But on Gaza, no one left the room claiming victory.