Middle East, Trump sees Netanyahu and warns Hamas: 'Disarm soon or pay'

A truce put to the test by continued Israeli operations in the enclave that, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, have killed over 400 people in a few months.

Reconstruction in the Strip, the American president stressed, will begin "very soon, as soon as possible, but there must be disarmament of Hamas". In the very same hours of the meeting between the American president and Netanyahu in Florida, the spokesman of the military wing of the Islamist group reiterated that it 'will not give up' its weapons.

"Our people are defending themselves and will not give up their weapons as long as the occupation continues, they will not surrender, even if they have to fight with their bare hands," said Abu Obeida, the new spokesman for the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, in a video on his Telegram channel. On the other hand, Bibi continues to show reluctance to withdraw further from Gaza. The Israeli premier demands that Hamas return the remains of the last hostage before proceeding to the next steps.

The family of Ran Gvili accompanied Netanyahu to Mar-a-Lago and is expected to meet with Trump administration officials. Israel, for its part, has not yet opened the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, also a condition contained in the US plan, saying it will only do so after the return of the staff sergeant's body.

"We will do everything we can to get back the remains of Ran Gvili, whose wonderful family is here," The Donald assured before his conversation with Netanyahu. The US president then praised the premier, calling him "a war hero" and saying he was sure he would receive a presidential pardon in the corruption trial.

But Gaza is only one of the 'five topics' on the table at the talks, according to the commander-in-chief himself. On the other dossiers, the differences between the United States and Israel are wider.

Netanyahu reiterated that 'Israel has never had a friend like Trump in the White House' but it is no mystery that he wants a more aggressive policy from Trump on Iran or, at the very least, his OK to have a free hand towards Tehran.

The US president threatened to launch another attack against Iran if the country attempts to rebuild its ballistic missile programme or resume its nuclear programme. "If so, we will have to take action to stop them," he said. "We will stop them. We will destroy them completely,' he pressed, urging Tehran to come to an agreement with the US.

Then there is Syria. Bibi did not like Washington's openness towards Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. 'I hope Israel gets along with Syria, the president is a tough guy but he is doing a great job,' Trump wished.

Finally, the Lebanon for which The Donald has pushed diplomacy while Israel doubts Beirut's ability to contain Hezbollah without another military campaign.

Immediately after landing in the US, ahead of their meeting with Donald Trump, Netanyahu and his wife Sara met in Florida with Tali and Itzik Gvili, the parents of the last hostage still in Gaza, Staff Sergeant Ran Gvili. The mother had travelled in the PM's flight. This was announced by the prime minister's office. "During the emotional meeting, the prime minister's wife offered her support to Ran's parents and Netanyahu stated that everything is being done to give their heroic son a Jewish burial," the note added.

Three months ago Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Donald Trump as "the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House", but this friendship, and the Israeli premier's power of persuasion, will be put to the test during his meeting at Mar a Lago with the American president, with whom he has lately been registering differences on virtually every hot topic in the Middle East dossier. According to Israeli sources telling the Washington Post, the trip to Florida offers Netanyahu a crucial opportunity to convince Trump to take a tougher stance on Gaza and to demand that Hamas disarm before the further withdrawal of Israeli troops as part of the second of Trump's 20-point peace plan. Not only that, the Israeli PM will try to get the green light for another strike against Iran's ballistic missile programme, possibly as part of a joint operation with the US, even though the US president forcefully called for an end to the 12-day war in June, declaring Tehran's nuclear programme 'completely obliterated' by US bombing.

In the meantime, the IDF will launch a series of investigations into military operations in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, and Iran after 7 October, the Israeli press reports. The investigations ordered by the IDF General Staff will focus on certain questions of a strategic nature, such as why no plan was prepared for a complete conquest of the Gaza Strip; whether starting operations in the northern part of the Coastal Territory was the correct decision; the effects of the presence of hostages on operations. Further investigations will instead assess operations on the northern front, in Lebanon against the Shiite Hezbollah militias, in Syria and in Iran; the results are expected to be known by the end of 2026.

Hundreds of Somali citizens took to the streets last night in the capital Mogadishu to protest what they called 'an aggression by Israel', following statements by the government in Tel Aviv that it intends to recognise Somaliland as an independent state. The statement sparked strong opposition from Somalia's federal government and some sections of the public, who consider the move a violation of Somalia's sovereignty. As reported by the national news agency Sonna, the Somali government has always maintained that Somaliland, in the north, is an integral part of the country and has rejected any unilateral recognition by foreign states. Several African Union countries have also distanced themselves from Tel Aviv's statements and expressed solidarity with Somalia.

'Israel's recognition of Somaliland is senseless and part of a broader agenda to divide and destabilise the Horn of Africa and weaken regional unity and stability'. This was stated by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei. According to the Mehr Agency, Baghaei urged the international community 'to recognise the reality of Israel's divisive action, which aims to make the region more defenceless against regime aggression'. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Friday that Tel Aviv formally recognised Somaliland as an 'independent and sovereign state' and signed an agreement to establish diplomatic relations.

China against Israel's decision to recognise Somaliland as an 'independent and sovereign state'. Concern was expressed by the Foreign Ministry in Beijing. Spokesman Lin Jian, the Asian giant's official media report, reiterated the People's Republic's 'firm support' for Somalia's 'sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity'. "The Somaliland issue is an internal matter of Somalia," he added, "Foreign countries should stop undue interference and no country should incite or support separatist forces in other countries for their own interests.

Hamas "will not give up" its weapons, nor will it surrender and will continue to fight against Israel, "even with its bare hands". This was stated by Abu Obeida, the new spokesman for the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, in a video on his Telegram channel on the day of the planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu in Washington focused specifically on the future of the Gaza Strip. "Our people are defending themselves and will not give up their weapons as long as the occupation continues. It will not surrender, even if it has to fight with its bare hands,' Abu Obeida said.