The Donald-Bibi Bromance Continues: Netanyahu visits Washington as Trump outlines sweeping Gaza vision, receives Nobel nomination, and pledges full support for Israeli victory, with Gaza to be owned and redeveloped by the US with Arab support and Israeli secuity supervision. Gazans will be encouraged to emigrate to give the Strip a new start and chance to flourish.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Washington on Sunday, July 7, for a high-stakes diplomatic visit with U.S. President Donald J. Trump—his first since Trump’s return to the White House. As Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza enters its final stage, Netanyahu’s meetings in Washington aim to align military, diplomatic, and postwar planning with Israel’s most important strategic partner.

From the outset, the meeting took on more than just policy weight—it became a reaffirmation of the personal and political bond between two leaders who have shaped a new regional order.

“This is the greatest man in the world,” President Trump declared during a joint appearance at the White House, with American and Israeli flags behind them. “No one’s done more for strength, for peace, for Western values than Bibi.”

In a striking gesture of appreciation, Netanyahu announced during the visit that he would formally nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. “President Trump deserves this recognition,” Netanyahu stated. “He brought historic peace agreements between Israel and four Arab nations, and today he’s again standing firmly with us to defeat Hamas and ensure peace through strength.”

The nomination paperwork is being submitted through the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, citing the Abraham Accords and Trump’s postwar reconstruction plan for Gaza.

“We’re Going to Own This”

Trump’s vision for Gaza, discussed at length in closed-door sessions with the Israeli delegation, includes a U.S.-backed plan to rebuild Gaza after Hamas is dismantled—under conditions of full demilitarization, with no role for the Palestinian Authority or UNRWA. The concept, informally dubbed the Trump Gaza Initiative, envisions UAE-led civilian oversight, U.S. financial leadership, and Israeli security coordination.

“We’re not just ending Hamas,” Trump reportedly told his advisers. “We’re going to finish what nobody else could: take Gaza from a terror pit and turn it into something great, fast—and with total control.”

The plan calls for vetted U.S. and Gulf firms to carry out reconstruction, with contracts tied to verified peace and anti-terror guarantees. Israeli officials confirmed that discussions are focused on ensuring that all aid and civil governance will be conditioned on Hamas’s complete removal.

“We welcome regional and international support,” one Israeli official traveling with Netanyahu said. “But no one is returning to Gaza—not UNRWA, not Fatah—until Hamas is history.”

Hostages and the Final Phase

With 52 hostages still held in Gaza by Hamas and affiliated terror groups—and approximately 20 believed to be alive—the hostage crisis remains central to the mission. Netanyahu emphasized this in his closed briefings on Capitol Hill, reiterating that hostage recovery and the destruction of Hamas are inseparable objectives.

Israeli and U.S. intelligence assessments have now confirmed the deaths of Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif, the top Hamas commanders behind the October 7 massacre. With their elimination, Hamas’s command structure in Gaza has effectively collapsed. Remaining operatives are scattered across Rafah and the southern corridor, with IDF forces advancing steadily.

“Sinwar and Deif are no longer part of the equation,” a senior Israeli security source said. “This is now a cleanup operation. The head of the snake has been cut off.”

IDF units continue pressuring remaining Hamas holdouts, while Mossad and Shin Bet focus on locating hostages and eliminating residual terror cells. Trump, for his part, has encouraged zero compromise. “Get the hostages back. End Hamas. Then we rebuild,” he posted on Truth Social. “We’ll do it the right way—with real allies, not terrorists.”

Trump and Netanyahu on Statehood

Asked whether he still supports the creation of a Palestinian state, Trump gave a blunt reply: “I always said, if the parties agree, fine. But you can’t make peace with people who want to destroy you.”

Netanyahu, speaking at a Washington policy forum on Monday, reinforced Israel’s red lines: “A Palestinian state, as traditionally proposed, would be a threat to Israel’s security. It would be a launchpad for terror, backed by Iran and filled with incitement. We’re not opposed to peace—we’re opposed to illusions.”

He added, “Any future framework must ensure Israel’s absolute security and permanent control over strategic areas.”

The Prime Minister also addressed questions about the future of Gaza’s civilian population. “Whoever wants to stay can stay, and whoever wants to leave can leave. They have the right to choose – this is not a prison,” Netanyahu said. “We are working with the U.S. to find countries that will agree to take them in. We are getting closer to that moment. We are giving the Palestinians the right to choose.”

Reactions in Israel

Netanyahu’s visit was closely watched in Israel, where the public remains focused on the hostages, the war’s endgame, and the shape of Gaza after Hamas. Within the war cabinet, Netanyahu enjoys strong support for his insistence on total victory. But his far-right coalition partners, including Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, have expressed alarm over any plans involving international oversight in Gaza—even under Trump.

“A Trump hotel in Gaza is not the answer,” Ben-Gvir posted on X. “Total Israeli control is the only way to ensure security.” Smotrich warned of “Oslo in disguise.”

Netanyahu has rejected such critiques. “No sovereignty is being offered, and no security is being outsourced,” a senior official traveling with the delegation said. “This is about creating a new deterrence model. Terror leads to ruin. Defeat leads to a new reality—but on our terms.”

Next Steps

Netanyahu’s visit continues through the week, with scheduled meetings with Republican and Democratic Congressional leaders, U.S. Jewish organizations, and national security officials. Israeli sources say coordination is advancing on multiple fronts: continued military assistance, intelligence sharing, and shaping the post-Hamas order in Gaza.

Trump’s foreign policy team is finalizing a policy paper outlining the Trump Gaza Initiative, which is expected to be released ahead of the Republican National Convention. Israeli defense officials are working with their U.S. counterparts to ensure all postwar scenarios are anchored in firm security guarantees and irreversible Hamas defeat.

As the visit continues, both leaders appear united in message and mission: no return to the status quo, no compromise with terror, and no rebuilding until victory is complete.