 U.S. President Donald Trump has called for a peace deal between Israel and Hamas. In a late-night post on his social media platform, Truth Social, he wrote:
“MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!! DJT.”
Trump’s message encouraged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire and work on bringing back the hostages taken by Hamas during their attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. During that attack, 251 people were taken hostage. As of now, 49 are still believed to be in Gaza, including 27 who are confirmed dead.
This message came just a few hours after Trump urged Israeli prosecutors to drop their legal case against Netanyahu. Trump said that Netanyahu is trying to negotiate a deal with Hamas and should not be distracted by the court case.
Trump also criticized how the U.S. spends billions of dollars every year to support Israel, suggesting he is unhappy with how things are being handled.
On Saturday, Trump praised Netanyahu, calling him a “War Hero”, and warned that the legal case might harm Netanyahu’s efforts to negotiate with Iran and Hamas. However, Trump did not explain what kind of talks were going on with Iran.
Trump compared Netanyahu’s legal troubles to his own, calling both “political witch hunts.” He said that just like he was unfairly treated during his presidency, Netanyahu is facing similar political attacks.
Recently, an Israeli court refused to delay Netanyahu’s testimony in a corruption case. Netanyahu and his wife Sara are accused of accepting over $260,000 worth of luxury gifts, including cigars, jewelry, and champagne, in return for political favors. He is also accused of trying to get favorable media coverage from Israeli news outlets.
Netanyahu says he is innocent and thanked Trump for always supporting Israel, especially during recent tensions with Iran.
His lawyer had asked for a two-week break from court so Netanyahu could focus on national security, but the court denied the request.
Meanwhile, discussions are still ongoing to return the remaining hostages and the bodies of those who died, while Israel continues its military operations in Gaza.
