Israel approves Gaza talks ahead of Trump meeting

Israel said it was sending a team to negotiate the next phase in its fragile ceasefire with Hamas, signaling possible progress ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday.

- Agence France-Presse

WASHINGTON:

Netanyahu will be the first foreign leader to meet Trump in the White House since his return to power last month, and will likely face some pressure to honor the ceasefire the US leader has claimed credit for.

Hours before their meeting, Netanyahu's office said Israel would send a delegation to the Qatari capital Doha later this week for negotiations.

Hamas has said it is ready to negotiate the second stage of the ceasefire, mediated by Qatar, the US and Egypt, and which should focus on a more permanent end to the war.

The first phase, which took effect on January 19, halted more than 15 months of bombardment and fighting that has leveled much of the Gaza Strip.