The Gaza war has been going on for 21 months.

US President Donald Trump hopes for a ceasefire deal and the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip this week. "I think we're close to an agreement on Gaza. We could do it this week," the Republican told reporters on Sunday (local time). According to media reports, he will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House today. Shortly before his departure for Washington, Netanyahu reiterated his rejection of any agreement that would allow the Islamist Hamas to remain in power in the Gaza Strip.

Before his meeting with Netanyahu, Trump expressed confidence that an agreement could be reached with Hamas on the release of additional hostages. "We think we can do that this week." According to media reports, the latest proposal by mediator Qatar for an initial 60-day ceasefire calls for the release of ten hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. According to Israeli intelligence, at least 20 hostages held in Gaza are still alive. The status of two kidnapping victims is unclear. In addition, the bodies of 28 abducted people have been discovered.

"We are working to bring about the much-discussed deal, on the terms we agreed to," Netanyahu said before his departure. Shortly before, he had described Hamas's demands for changes to Qatar's proposal as "unacceptable," but nevertheless sent a delegation to the Qatari capital, Doha, for new indirect talks on a deal. "I believe that the conversation with President Trump can definitely help advance the outcome we all hope for," he said.

Netanyahu said he was determined to achieve three goals: to bring home all hostages, both living and dead; to eliminate Hamas's military and administrative capabilities and expel the terrorist organization from the Gaza Strip; and to ensure that the coastal strip no longer poses a threat to Israel. "Hamas will no longer exist," Netanyahu emphasized before departing for Washington.

This is already his third meeting with US President Trump in six months. The US, along with Qatar and Egypt, is acting as mediators between Israel and Hamas, as they are not speaking directly with each other. Less than two weeks ago, a twelve-day war between Israel and Iran ended in a ceasefire. During the war, Israel and the US bombed key facilities of the Iranian nuclear program.

Israel justified the war with the threat posed by Iran's nuclear program. Western governments fear that Tehran is seeking nuclear weapons. The Iranian leadership rejects this. The successful airstrikes in Iran made it possible to "expand the circle of peace far beyond what we could have previously imagined," said Israel's prime minister.

The changed realities bring a "great future" to Israel and the entire Middle East, Netanyahu said before his departure for the US. Meanwhile, Trump said in Washington: "We are working with Israel on many things, and one of them is probably a permanent agreement with Iran."

Meanwhile, Israel's air force said it attacked military facilities of the Iran-allied Houthi militia in Yemen overnight. The army announced on Telegram that the ports of Ras Issa, Hodeidah, and Salif in the west of the country were targeted. The ports are used by the Houthis to transport weapons from Iran for terrorist operations against Israel and its allies. The merchant ship "Galaxy Leader," which was hijacked by the Houthis in November 2023, was also hit in Ras Issa. The militia had installed a radar system on the ship to track ships in international maritime traffic for terrorist attacks.

The Ras Kanatib power plant near the capital Sanaa was also attacked, the Israeli army said. "As I warned, Yemen will be treated like (the Iranian capital) Tehran," said Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz. "Anyone who tries to harm Israel will be harmed; anyone who raises their hand against Israel will lose it," Katz wrote on Telegram. Shortly afterward, sirens sounded again in Israel. Air defenses had been activated to intercept two rockets fired from Yemen, the army announced that morning.

Since the beginning of the Gaza War in October 2023, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked Israel with rockets and drones – they claim to be an expression of their solidarity with Hamas in Gaza. The Gaza War, which has now lasted 21 months, was triggered by the attack by Hamas and other Islamist organizations on Israel on October 7, 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage to Gaza.

Since then, more than 57,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority. This figure, which is difficult to independently verify, does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.