UNITED STATES President Donald Trump is set to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday, with the aim of finalising a proposed Gaza peace plan, even as Israeli ground forces deepen their incursion into Gaza City and fears grow over the fate of two hostages held by Hamas.
Trump told Reuters in a phone interview on Sunday that he had received a “very good response” from Israeli and Arab leaders to the peace proposal, and insisted “everybody wants to make a deal”. However, Hamas said it had not yet received any formal proposal from the United States or any mediators.
The meeting between Trump and Netanyahu comes as the war enters its most intense phase in Gaza City, with Israeli tanks pushing into the Sabra, Tel Al-Hawa, Sheikh Radwan and Al-Naser neighbourhoods.
Gaza health authorities said they are unable to respond to dozens of emergency calls as the offensive continues.
The Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said on Sunday that it had lost contact with two hostages held in Gaza and urged Israel to suspend air strikes and pull back from southern Gaza City districts for 24 hours to allow its fighters to reach them.
The families of the hostages have requested that their identities not be disclosed.
The Israeli military did not comment directly on the request but continued issuing evacuation orders to civilians in parts of Gaza City, warning of imminent strikes on Hamas targets and infrastructure.
Local residents and medics reported that tanks were closing in on key civilian areas, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are sheltering.
Gaza’s Civil Emergency Service said that Israel had denied 73 coordinated rescue requests via international organisations in the past day.
The Gaza Health Ministry reported at least 77 Palestinian deaths in the last 24 hours due to Israeli fire.
The war, which erupted in October 2023 following a Hamas-led cross-border attack that killed approximately 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken, has devastated the territory.
According to Gaza’s health authorities, more than 66,000 Palestinians have been killed. Israel claims 48 hostages remain in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
Despite the continuing violence, recent days have seen increased speculation over the possibility of a diplomatic breakthrough.
Trump’s 21-point proposal reportedly calls for the release of all hostages, the cessation of Israeli strikes on Qatar, and a renewed dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians aimed at “peaceful coexistence”.
Netanyahu, speaking to Fox News on Sunday, said Hamas must either surrender or face total defeat. He added that a ceasefire deal could include amnesty for Hamas leaders and their exile from Gaza — an idea Hamas firmly rejects, vowing not to disarm or abandon its leadership.
Since Israel launched its long-threatened ground offensive on Gaza City on 16 September, it has carried out air strikes on more than 140 targets in the past 24 hours alone, according to the Israeli military.
The campaign has left the urban centre in ruins, with most homes damaged or destroyed and 2.3 million residents facing extreme humanitarian conditions.
The World Food Programme estimates that between 350,000 and 400,000 Palestinians have fled Gaza City in the past month, though large numbers remain trapped in what Israel considers a combat zone. - September 29, 2025
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