Axios: Netanyahu agrees with Trump's terms on Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to advance the second phase of a Gaza agreement, despite disagreements with President Donald Trump’s team over its implementation, Axios reports, citing a U.S. official and another source directly familiar with the matter.

The meeting took place on December 29 at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. During the discussions, Netanyahu also accepted Trump’s request to resume talks with the Syrian government regarding a potential security agreement.

According to Axios, the U.S. message to Netanyahu emphasised that changes in Israel’s policies on the West Bank are necessary to restore relations with European states and potentially expand the Abraham Accords.

Sources told the portal that discussions involved Netanyahu, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Key topics included violence by Israelis in the West Bank, financial challenges facing the Palestinian Authority, and the expansion of Israeli settlements.

The Gaza ceasefire agreement, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump with mediation from Qatar, Egypt, and Türkiye, took effect in October 2025. It is a multi-phase plan aimed at ending the two-year war that began with Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The deal includes hostage releases, humanitarian aid, and steps toward long-term stability, though tensions and violations persist.

The deal's Phase 1, largely completed, saw a pause in major fighting, partial Israeli troop withdrawals, and exchanges of hostages and prisoners, alongside increased humanitarian aid and the return of some displaced Palestinians. The phase focused on immediate de-escalation and relief and has broadly held despite sporadic clashes.

The second phase is still under negotiation, envisions further Israeli withdrawal, Hamas disarmament, deployment of an international stabilisation force, formation of a technocratic Palestinian government, and reconstruction of Gaza’s devastated infrastructure. Progress has been slow due to disagreements over sequencing and periodic violations, though the U.S. has pressed for advancement, warning Hamas of consequences for non-compliance. 

By Khagan Isayev