Upcoming meetings in Washington: Netanyahu's visit brings focus on Gaza and hostages

Report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

All eyes are on two significant events set to unfold this week in Washington, DC.

The first has been rescheduled to Thursday due to President Joe Biden contracting COVID-19 and will witness Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discuss potential avenues for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The meeting will also address the Iran issue and other critical topics.

The second event, scheduled for Wednesday, involves Netanyahu delivering a speech before the US Congress. 

However, Vice President Kamala Harris will not attend due to prior commitments, according to her spokesperson. Harris will instead hold separate talks with Netanyahu later this week. 

During this meeting, Harris is expected to stress the urgency of ending the Gaza war in a manner that ensures Israeli security while also addressing the release of all hostages and alleviating the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. She will also emphasize the need for the Palestinian people to enjoy dignity, freedom, and self-determination, as stated by a senior advisor to the Vice President.

In addition to Harris' absence, it is anticipated that many Democratic lawmakers will boycott Netanyahu's speech in Congress due to ongoing hostilities in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu has begun meetings in Washington with families of hostages held by Hamas who hold both Israeli and American citizenship. These families have urged Netanyahu to ensure his speech to Congress includes an announcement regarding a hostage deal. 

Relatives of Israeli-American hostages have also reported that Netanyahu claimed military pressure would secure the hostages' release, though no evidence has been presented to support this assertion.

Additionally, Netanyahu is seeking a meeting with former President and current Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. 

Nevertheless, the meeting remains contingent upon Trump's approval, which has not yet been granted.