Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has submitted a formal proposal to nominate US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his role in pushing for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
The Trump Nobel nomination came during Netanyahu’s third visit to the White House since Trump’s return to office. The leaders met for a high-profile dinner amid renewed indirect negotiations in Doha, aimed at ending the ongoing war in Gaza. “Things are going very well,” Trump said, adding that “Hamas wants a ceasefire and a meeting.”
Netanyahu praised Trump’s influence in the region, saying, “As we speak, he is restoring peace from one country to the next, one region after another.” The Israeli leader credited Trump with creating a “real opportunity” for a durable ceasefire and stabilisation in the Middle East.
President Trump is "forging peace as we speak, in one country and one region after the other. So, I want to present to you, Mr. President, the letter I sent to the Nobel Prize committee. It's nominating you for the peace prize, which is well-deserved." –Israeli PM @Netanyahu 🇺🇸🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/ZZfUEcfOPd
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 8, 2025
The Trump Nobel nomination has drawn sharp criticism from observers who point to the devastating toll of the conflict. Over 57,000 Palestinians- mostly civilians- have been killed in Israeli airstrikes since Hamas’ 7 October attack on southern Israel, which left 1,219 people dead, most of them civilians.
Ongoing talks, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the US, focus on a proposed 60-day ceasefire and a hostage-prisoner exchange. The deal would reportedly include the release of about 10 Israeli hostages and the repatriation of several bodies, in exchange for the release of Palestinian detainees held by Israel.
Despite negotiations, deadly clashes continue. On Monday, the Israeli military reported five soldiers killed in northern Gaza. Meanwhile, Palestinian sources reported 12 civilian deaths, including six at a clinic sheltering displaced families in Gaza City.
Netanyahu once again rejected the possibility of a Palestinian state, stating that Israel would “always retain security control” over Gaza. He described Hamas as a terrorist regime that had “built tunnels to slaughter our people” and warned that no Israeli would support “giving them another state.”
Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected in Washington later this week to continue ceasefire planning. In Tel Aviv, relatives of hostages held in Gaza rallied outside the US embassy branch, urging Trump to “make history” and help bring their loved ones home.
WATCH IN FULL: President Donald J. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu answer questions from the press pic.twitter.com/cpRbY08fMm
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 8, 2025
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