Despite disagreements over Gaza, relations with Netanyahu are very good: Trump

Despite rejecting the proposed plan for Gaza, US President Donald Trump has claimed that his relations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are "very good." In response to a reporter's question at an event in the Oval Office on Monday (August 11), Trump said, "The relationship is very good."

Trump had been criticizing Netanyahu for more than a week. However, on Sunday, Netanyahu made it clear that he opposed the US-proposed Gaza plan. The plan calls for disarming Hamas and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.

Netanyahu, Israel's long-time prime minister, is facing a difficult situation in the upcoming October 27 election. He is sometimes tied and sometimes behind in various opinion polls. This is Israel's first election since the devastating Hamas attack in 2023.

Polls show that a large part of Netanyahu's right-wing supporters oppose the Gaza plan. His government's hard-right ministers have also been pressuring Netanyahu to scrap the plan.

Netanyahu has recently highlighted his close relationship with Trump as a political strength. Trump has also shown unprecedented support for Israel, including his decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.

Trump and Netanyahu aligned themselves on the war against Iran in late February. But the two leaders later disagreed on a ceasefire and a resolution to the conflict.

The Gaza plan is a follow-up to a US-brokered ceasefire announced last October. The ceasefire has reduced Israeli military operations in Gaza, but not completely stopped them.

According to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza, more than 1,250 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire took effect. The country's military said five Israeli soldiers were killed during the same period.