Israeli Prime Minister says he will meet Trump for second phase of Gaza plan

JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that he will meet President Donald Trump later this month, saying a second phase of the U.S. president's Gaza plan was close.

The meeting will discuss possible opportunities for peace and an end to the Palestinian militant group Hamas's rule in the enclave, he said during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Negotiations on the next stages of Trump's plan to end the two-year war in the Palestinian enclave have been continuing. The plan also included the release of Israeli hostages and the establishment of an interim technocratic Palestinian government in Gaza, overseen by an international "board of peace" and backed by an international security force.

"I will be having very important conversations at the end of the month on how to ensure the second phase will be achieved," Netanyahu added.

He also said that the first phase of Trump's plan was about to be finished.

Violence has subsided but not stopped since the Gaza truce took effect on October 10.

Since the truce started, Hamas has returned all 20 living hostages and 27 bodies in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners. The body of one hostage still remains in Gaza.

Alexander Cornwell and Steven Scheer; Tala Ramadan and Jaidaa Taha/Reuters