Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today (Sunday, 6 July 2025) before departing on his diplomatic visit to Washington [translated from Hebrew]:
“I am now departing with my wife on a very important visit to Washington to meet with President Trump. This is my third visit with the President since he was elected over six months ago. I will also be meeting all senior officials of the US administration, senior members of Congress from both parties, and numerous other key figures.
In my conversation with President Trump, I will, first of all, thank him for his very powerful involvement for Israel’s benefit. We have never had such a friend in the White House. Our joint involvement brought a great victory over our mutual enemy – Iran. Iran has dedicated itself, for years, to our destruction, and for years, we had apprehensions: What should we do about Iran? Would we be able to take on Iran? And now, our heroic pilots flew in the skies of Iran, and the IDF did wonders, along with the Mossad and all other security branches. Not only there, but also against Lebanon. There, too, we had apprehensions for years: What would Hezbollah do and how could we take it on? We took it on, and we have also dealt a blow to Hamas.
This creates a great obligation and also great opportunities. The obligation is, first and foremost, to preserve the achievement, to remain vigilant against Iran’s attempt to renew its effort to acquire nuclear weapons aimed at our destruction. That is one obligation, but there is also a great opportunity: The opportunity of expanding the circle of peace, far beyond what we could have imagined previously. We have already changed the face of the Middle East beyond recognition, and we have an opportunity and the ability to change it further and to enable a great future for the State of Israel, the people of Israel and the entire Middle East.
At the same time, we are still in the Gaza arena. We have great achievements there as well, but also missions that need to be completed. As of today, we have freed 205 out of 255 hostages, 148 among them alive. Twenty living and 30 deceased hostages are left. I am determined – we are determined – to bring back everyone.
We are also determined to ensure that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel. It means we will not allow a situation of more hostage-taking, more murders, more beheadings, more invasions. It means one thing: Eliminating the military and governing capabilities of Hamas. Hamas will not be there.
I am committed to the three missions together: Releasing and returning all our hostages, both the living and the deceased; eliminating the capabilities of Hamas – driving it out of there; and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel.
All of those things we have achieved, and we will achieve, thanks to the heroism of our fighters, thanks to the amazing and steadfast resilience of the citizens of Israel, and also thanks to our correct and brave decisions, which we made based on the support that the citizens of Israel give to the people’s army.
We are working to achieve the much discussed deal, on the conditions that we have agreed to. I have dispatched a team to the negotiations with clear instructions. I believe that the conversation with President Trump can definitely help advance that result which we are all hoping for.”