Ahead of US visit, Israeli president urges Netanyahu to reach Gaza ceasefire, prisoner swap deal

Israeli President Isaac Herzog called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday to seal a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner swap deal ahead of his trip to Washington for talks with US officials.

Herzog met with Netanyahu on Sunday, hours before the premier is set to travel to the US to meet President Donald Trump.

“During my meeting with the Prime Minister, I emphasized the importance of the visit as a significant step in advancing the deal to bring back the hostages,” Herzog said in a statement issued by his office.

“This political effort could serve as an opportunity to open horizons for significant regional developments,” he said, without providing further details.

The Israeli president said he also discussed with Netanyahu “the opportunity to strengthen relations with other countries.”

Herzog stated that he “does not downplay the possible prices and understands the concerns” regarding the potential costs of a deal with the Palestinian group Hamas, but is “confident that the Security Cabinet and the security establishment will know how to address the challenges.”

According to the Yedioth Ahronot newspaper, Netanyahu will depart to Washington at 5 pm local time (1400 GMT) on Sunday.

Hamas said late Friday that it had submitted a “positive” response to mediators regarding a recent Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange proposal.

Tel Aviv estimates that there are 50 hostages, 20 of whom are held captive in Gaza. More than 10,400 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, subjected to torture, starvation, and medical neglect, which has resulted in many deaths, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.

Despite international calls for a ceasefire, Israel has pursued a genocidal war on Gaza, killing more than 57,400 Palestinians, most of them women and children, since October 2023.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.