Donald Trump news: Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nominates US President for Nobel Peace Prize

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has presented US President Donald Trump with a letter nominating him for a Nobel Peace Prize during a dinner at the White House for his role in ending the 12-day war with Iran.

Mr Netanyahu travelled to Washington on Monday in an effort to advance a Gaza ceasefire deal after he sent negotiators to Doha for indirect talks with Hamas.

Facing growing pressure to bring an end to the nearly 22-month-long war, the Israeli Prime Minister is expected to have a meeting with Mr Trump to discuss ending the conflict.

During a dinner with Mr Trump and senior members of his Administration, Mr Netanyahu expressed his gratitude for the US President’s leadership in bringing the Israel-Iran war to an end.

“I want to express the appreciation and admiration not only of all Israelis, but of the Jewish people and many, many admirers around the world, for your leadership, your leadership of the free world, your leadership of a just cause, and the pursuit of peace and security,” he said.

“The President has an extraordinary team, and I think our teams, together, make, an extraordinary combination to meet challenges and seize opportunities.

“The President has already realised great opportunities. He forged the Abraham Accords. He is forging peace as we speak in one country and one region after the other,” he continued.

“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.”

Mr Netanyahu added that Mr Trump “should get it”.

Mr Trump was visibly taken aback by the gesture, revealing that he didn’t know the nomination was coming from the Israeli Prime Minister.

“Thank you very much. This I didn’t know. Thank you very much. Coming from (Mr Netanyahu) in particular, this is very meaningful. Thank you very much, Bibi,” he said.

“Thank you for everything you do,” Mr Netanyahu responded.

Mr Trump has made clear that following last month’s 12-day war between Israel and Iran, he would like to see the Gaza conflict end soon.

The meeting between Mr Trump and Mr Netanyahu could give new urgency to a US ceasefire proposal being discussed by Israel and Hamas, but whether it leads to a deal that ends the war is unclear.

“The utmost priority for the President right now in the Middle East is to end the war in Gaza and to return all of the hostages,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters hours before the two leaders meet for a private dinner.

Before departing for Washington on Sunday, Mr Netanyahu praised the cooperation with the US for bringing a “huge victory over our shared enemy.”

He struck a positive note on a ceasefire for Gaza, saying he was working “to achieve the deal under discussion, on the terms we agreed to”.

The Prime Minister was scheduled to hold separate meetings on Monday with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio before the dinner with Mr Trump.

Mr Netanyahu is slated to meet Tuesday with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson.

“I think that the discussion with President Trump can certainly help advance that result, which all of us hope for,” Mr Netanyahu said.

Israel and Hamas appear to be inching toward a new ceasefire agreement that would bring about a 60-day pause in the fighting, send aid flooding into Gaza and free at least some of the remaining 50 hostages held in the territory, 20 of whom are believed to be living.

Ms Leavitt announced on Monday that Witkoff will travel later this week to Doha, Qatar, for ceasefire and hostage talks.

But a perennial sticking point is whether the ceasefire will end the war altogether.

Hamas has said it is willing to free all the hostages in exchange for an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Mr Netanyahu says the war will end once Hamas surrenders, disarms and goes into exile — something it refuses to do.

Demonstrators, including hostage family members, gathered outside the US Capitol before the leaders’ meeting to press for the release of all remaining hostages in any agreement.

“We cannot accept a deal for a partial release,” said Ilan Dalal, father of Guy Gilboa-Dalal.

“A partial deal would mean that some of the hostages will stay in the tunnels for more time and this would be a death sentence.”

Mr Trump has made it clear that he wants to be known as a peacemaker.

He has repeatedly trumpeted recent peace deals that his administration facilitated between India and Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, and Israel and Iran, and for years has made little secret of the fact that he covets a Nobel Peace Prize.

He has been pressuring Israel and Hamas to wrap up their own conflict, which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, ravaged Gaza, deepened Israel’s international isolation and made any resolution to the broader conflict between Israel and the Palestinians more distant than ever.

In the days before Mr Netanyahu’s visit, Mr Trump seemed to downplay the chances for a breakthrough.

Asked on Friday how confident he was that a ceasefire deal would come together, Trump told reporters: “I’m very optimistic — but you know, look, it changes from day to day”.

- With AP