Trump Hints at ‘Something Special’ as Gaza Peace Deal Sealed?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads to the White House on Monday for a pivotal meeting with President Donald Trump, as the U.S. touts a near-finalized 21-point blueprint to halt the grinding Gaza war. Trump, buzzing with confidence, posted on Truth Social Sunday: "We have a real chance for greatness in the Middle East. All are on board for something special, first time ever. We will get it done."

This marks the duo's fourth sit-down since Trump's January inauguration, hot on the heels of his New York pitch to regional powerbrokers last week. Leaks from the Washington Post and Times of Israel paint the plan as a bold swap: Hamas frees all 48 hostages—dead and alive—in 48 hours, Israel halts ops for a phased troop pullout, swaps Palestinian prisoners for peace, and ramps up Gaza aid. In return, Hamas disarms fully, bows out of governance, paving way for a neutral transitional body and a "deradicalization" overhaul of schools and mosques.

But hold the cheers—Israeli brass are playing coy, dubbing some leaks "fake trial balloons" and holding fire until post-meeting. Hamas gripes it hasn't even peeked at the details, while insisting on total Israeli exit sans disarmament. A top Israeli insider spilled to U.S. editors: Israel's red lines demand Hamas neutered, hostages home, Gaza a no-weapons zone under Israeli security oversight, and a fresh admin free of Hamas or West Bank's Palestinian Authority taint.

Also Read: Netanyahu’s UN Speech Ignites Outrage with Gaza Broadcast Reveal

The clock ticks as Israel's Gaza City blitz rages on, tanks rumbling just a kilometer from the central hospital per eyewitness clips and social feeds. Over 700,000 of the city's million souls have fled, high-rises lie in rubble—blasted for alleged Hamas gear and tunnels—while the two-year-old conflict (sparked by October 2023's slaughter of 1,200 Israelis and 250 kidnappings) has claimed 66,000 Palestinian lives, per Hamas health stats. UN watchdogs flagged famine in swaths of the Strip last month, with relentless displacement breeding hellish hunger and health crises.

Last week's UN General Assembly turned a spotlight on Palestinian agony, with 10 nations—from France and the UK to Canada—joining 149 others in greenlighting statehood status, slamming Israel's Gaza and West Bank moves. The U.S. and Israel fired back, branding it a "terrorist's reward" amid Iran's proxy Hamas menace. Jerusalem sees the group as an existential Iranian dagger, vowing no quarter till it's erased; global chorus cries foul on the "scorched earth" fury, carving space between Hamas hardliners and the PA's milder vibe.

Israel's rightward lurch under Netanyahu's settler-stacked coalition—eyeing Gaza and West Bank grabs for its 600,000 settlers amid 3 million Palestinians—fuels the fire. Trump slapped down West Bank annexation last week, but hawkish ministers howl for it as payback to the Palestine push. Key architects like ex-UK PM Tony Blair, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump's Kushner kin are knee-deep in the drafting.

Netanyahu, fresh off a defiant UN vow to "finish the job" against Hamas holdouts, hinted reservations in a Fox News chat, stressing hostage returns and demilitarization but dodging full buy-in. Trump? He's all-in on optimism, betting big on this "permanent peace" amid hostage families' desperate New York rallies. With Arab tweaks like technocrat-led Gaza interim rule floating, the Monday huddle could crown a Mideast miracle—or crash into familiar deadlock.

Also Read: Trump Draws Red Line on Israel’s West Bank Annexation