Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, April 7, in a highly anticipated diplomatic encounter.
However, the meeting’s aftermath has raised eyebrows in Jerusalem. While the encounter was intended to project unity between the two allies, reactions from Israeli political circles have been conspicuously muted, suggesting internal discomfort with some outcomes.
During a press appearance, Trump voiced his continued support for Israel’s military campaign against Hamas in Gaza and issued a pointed warning to Iran, declaring, “They are on notice—there will be consequences if they do not cooperate.”
However, not all elements of the meeting were harmonious. When pressed about continuing 17% tariffs on Israeli goods, Trump said, “Maybe yes, maybe no.” Netanyahu, attempting to manage the optics, stated: “Look, Mr. President, we haven’t imposed tariffs on the U.S., unlike some countries around the world.”
The uncertainty left Israeli economic leaders puzzled about the future of trade relations, particularly after Netanyahu vaguely promised that “the gaps in export/import with the U.S. will disappear.”
Mounting Casualties in Gaza
The diplomatic backdrop comes amid the ongoing devastation in Gaza, where the Health Ministry reports at least 58 Palestinians killed and 213 wounded in the last 24 hours due to Israeli airstrikes. ‘
Among the dead is journalist Ahmed Mansour, who succumbed to severe burns from an Israeli strike near Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.
As of today, Gaza’s Health Ministry has confirmed 50,810 Palestinian deaths and 115,688 injuries since the war began. The Government Media Office estimates over 61,700 deaths, citing many still trapped under rubble.
The war traces back to the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault on Israel, which killed 1,139 people and saw over 200 taken hostage.
Humanitarian conditions in Gaza are rapidly deteriorating. The Israeli army has cut off 70% of Gaza’s water supply, according to Hosni Mehanna, spokesperson for the Gaza municipality.
“If the flow of water from Mekorot is not restored soon, Gaza will face a full-blown water crisis,” Mehanna warned. Gaza is already crippled by decimated infrastructure and a shortage of clean water, raising fears of disease outbreaks.
Israeli authorities, supported by police, forcibly entered and ordered the closure of six UNRWA-affiliated schools, intensifying friction with international organizations.
Simultaneously, a prolonged Israeli military operation in the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank has escalated. According to the Wafa news agency, Israeli forces demolished a Palestinian home and deployed tear gas in Wadi Burqin, west of Jenin. An estimated 600 homes have been destroyed during the two-month-long offensive.
The diplomatic impact of Israel’s actions is spreading. Caspar Veldkamp, a Dutch foreign ministry official, has summoned the Israeli ambassador over Gaza. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday in The Hague, marking the latest European rebuke of Israel’s military tactics.
Meanwhile, in Washington, Senator Peter Welch called for the application of the Leahy Law to stop U.S. offensive arms sales to Israel, citing allegations of Israeli troops targeting medics and abusing detainees.
“We must not be complicit in actions that violate human rights,” Welch stated. Senator Bernie Sanders also noted that “the U.S. is deeply complicit in what is happening in Gaza.”
Public Opinion in Israel
Back home, a new Direct Polls Institute survey revealed that 81% of Israelis oppose the creation of a Palestinian state, with 53% firmly rejecting the idea and 28% opposed “for the foreseeable future.” Despite global recognition of Palestinian statehood by 147 UN member states, domestic sentiment in Israel reflects deep resistance.
