Briefly

UNITED STATES

Trump, Netanyahu meet for 2nd time

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday met for a second time in two days with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss Gaza as Trump's Middle East envoy said Israel and Hamas were closing their differences on a ceasefire deal. The Israeli leader departed the White House on Tuesday evening after just over an hour's meeting with Trump in the Oval Office, with no media access. The two men also met for several hours during a dinner at the White House on Monday. This was Netanyahu's third US visit since Trump began his second term as president on Jan 20. Netanyahu met US Vice-President JD Vance and then visited the US Capitol on Tuesday, and was due back in Congress on Wednesday to meet US Senate leaders. Meanwhile in Gaza, at least 40 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes, hospital officials said on Wednesday.