2025 Trump Netanyahu Meeting: Why the 'Hero' Tag Won't End the Gaza War

They shook hands, but the fists remain clenched. Donald Trump hailed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a "hero" during their meeting on December 29, 2025. Trump claimed Israel had lived up to his ceasefire plan "100 percent," but the reality on the ground in Gaza tells a far more complicated story.

The 2025 Trump Netanyahu Meeting and the Ceasefire Stalemate

Despite the public displays of unity, U.S. officials are reportedly frustrated. They suspect Netanyahu is "slow-walking" the 20-point ceasefire plan imposed back in October. While the first phase involves exchanging captives and freezing front lines, Netanyahu has been hesitant to enter phase two. This next step would involve establishing a technocratic "board of peace" and deploying international security forces—something the Israeli leader seems keen to avoid.

Four Strategic Reasons Behind the Delay

Netanyahu's reluctance isn't accidental. First, he's facing intense pressure from his right-wing coalition, including figures like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, who demand total occupation rather than a ceasefire. Second, allowing an international force into Gaza would cripple Israel's "operational freedom." Since the October 10 halt in major fighting, Israeli strikes have still killed over 400 people, a flexibility Netanyahu doesn't want to lose.

Third, the Prime Minister is actively resisting any momentum toward a two-state solution. Ministers like Smotrich have openly stated that new settlement projects are designed to "bury" the idea of a Palestinian state. Finally, Netanyahu's domestic survival is at stake. With a corruption trial looming and a critical election year ahead, maintaining a state of "national emergency" serves as a convenient political shield.