WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 8, 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived in Washington for high-level talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, as the war in Gaza reaches a somber 18-month milestone. The visit comes amid renewed domestic and international pressure on Netanyahu’s government to re-engage in ceasefire negotiations, and as tensions rise over sweeping new U.S. tariffs on Israeli imports.
The Israeli leader’s visit marks his second meeting with Trump since the former president returned to office in January. Speaking ahead of the talks, Netanyahu said his priorities include efforts to secure the release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza, and discussions on the 17% tariffs recently imposed on Israeli goods by the Trump administration—a move that has surprised even the president’s closest business allies.
Hostage Crisis and Political Pressure
Netanyahu is under mounting pressure from families of the more than 130 hostages believed to remain in Gaza, as well as from former security officials and opposition politicians, who accuse his government of failing to end the conflict or provide a roadmap for peace. Ceasefire talks, backed by international mediators, have stalled in recent weeks as Israel escalates its military campaign.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, with a surprise attack by Hamas militants that killed nearly 1,200 people in Israel and led to 251 hostages being taken into Gaza, according to Israeli officials.
Since then, Israel’s military response has devastated Gaza, with more than 50,750 Palestinians killed, according to figures released by Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israel has enforced a strict blockade on goods and aid for the past five weeks, drawing condemnation from the United Nations and human rights organizations, who argue the siege violates international law.
U.S. Tariffs and Diplomatic Fallout
Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump is also expected to focus on trade tensions, following the announcement of new U.S. tariffs ranging from 10% to 50% on imports from nearly every country, including Israel. The move forms part of Trump’s “Liberation Day” economic plan to boost domestic manufacturing, but has rattled global markets, wiping more than $2.5 trillion off Wall Street in two days.
Israel’s 17% tariff rate—among the lower brackets—still represents a significant blow to trade, particularly as key exports such as pharmaceuticals, defense technology, and agricultural goods face reduced competitiveness in the U.S. market.
During Netanyahu’s last visit in February, Trump controversially suggested that the U.S. should “take over” Gaza and transform it into a “Riviera of the Middle East” by relocating Palestinians—a statement that was widely condemned and dismissed by international observers as implausible and inflammatory.
Civilian Casualties and Media Strike
As the conflict grinds on, civilian casualties continue to mount. On Monday, a journalist tent in Khan Younis was struck by an Israeli airstrike, killing two people and injuring nine. Survivors said the group had gathered to break their fast together. The Israeli military said it was targeting a Hamas member involved in the 2023 attacks but did not name the individuals killed.
“I saw my colleague sitting on a chair engulfed in flames,” said Alem-al Din al-Sadeq, a journalist who witnessed the attack. “We had no water to put out the flames.”
Israel has also ramped up military operations in central Gaza, claiming to target sites used to launch rockets into Israeli territory.
U.S. Citizen Killed in West Bank
Violence has also flared in the occupied West Bank, where 14-year-old Palestinian-American Amer Rabie was fatally shot by Israeli forces in the village of Turmus Ayya. The Israeli military said troops opened fire on three individuals allegedly throwing rocks at passing vehicles. Palestinian health officials said another U.S. citizen was injured in the same incident.
The U.S. State Department has not issued a public statement on the killing, which is likely to add further strain to the bilateral relationship.
Outlook
As Netanyahu and Trump meet behind closed doors, both leaders face pressure—Trump from a volatile global market response to his tariff policies, and Netanyahu from a deeply divided Israeli public and growing international isolation over his handling of the war.
Observers say the meeting may yield symbolic gestures, but a breakthrough on either trade or the conflict appears unlikely in the short term.
