International
Trump receives Netanyahu in a gesture of support, with Gaza and Saudi Arabia on the agenda
US President Donald Trump will receive Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday at his first meeting with a foreign leader since his return to power, and with the future of Gaza and the possibility of a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia as key issues on the agenda.
The appointment represents international support for Netanyahu, especially after the arrest warrant of the International Criminal Court (ICC), whose jurisdiction Washington does not recognize and whose decision has strongly condemned.
Both leaders are expected to address a wide variety of issues, including the future of the Gaza Strip, the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia and the growing tension with Iran, which attacked Israel twice with missiles and drones last year.
This Monday, in statements to the press at the White House, Trump was skeptical about the possibility of a lasting ceasefire in Gaza.
“I have no guarantees that peace will be maintained,” he said on the eve of his meeting with Netanyahu.
The meeting between Trump and Netanyahu will coincide with the beginning of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas for the second phase of the truce agreement, which provides for the release of all Israeli hostages in Gaza and the establishment of bases for the definitive end of the war.
Hamas, which has reaffirmed its control over Gaza since the beginning of the ceasefire on January 19, has warned that it will not release more hostages until the end of the war is agreed and the Israeli forces withdraw from the enclave.
Netanyahu, for his part, faces growing pressure within his government coalition with far-right ministers such as Bezalel Smotrich threatening to overthrow the Executive if, once the first phase of the truce is concluded, the fighting in the Strip does not resume.
Trump, for his part, has not given clear signals about what his strategy will be in the Gaza conflict. Although he is a strong ally of Israel, the Israeli press assures that it has already told Netanyahu that it does not want the country to resume fighting in the Strip.
Trump has promised to end the wars in the Middle East and, in addition, has attributed the merit of having facilitated the current ceasefire agreement, which in its first phase allowed the release of 13 Israelis and 5 Thais in exchange for more than 500 Palestinian prisoners.
However, his apparent intention to end the war does not imply improvements for the Gazati. On the contrary, since his return to power he has lifted sanctions against Israeli settlers accused of violence against Palestinians and has thawed a shipment of heavy bombs to Israel, paused by his predecessor, Joe Biden (2021-2025).
During his first term, Trump already made several decisions in favor of Israel, such as the transfer of the US embassy to Jerusalem, the recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and the negotiation of the Abraham Agreements, which allowed Israel to establish diplomatic relations with several Arab countries.
Beyond the truce in Gaza, Trump seeks to take advantage of the meeting to relaunch his aspiration to reach an agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, a goal that he already pursued in his first term (2017-2021) and that the Biden Administration also tried unsuccessfully.
Saudi Arabia has shown interest in signing an agreement with Israel, but has made it a condition to receive strategic guarantees from the United States, such as a defense pact, and has made it clear that there will be no agreement without the creation of a Palestinian State.
The form that an eventual Palestinian state would take is still to be defined, especially due to the position of both Trump and Netanyahu with Israel.
In recent days, the US president has insisted that Jordan, Egypt and other Arab countries should accept more Palestinian refugees from Gaza, a proposal that has been flatly rejected by both several Arab nations.
Netanyahu, for his part, rejects any attempt to use the formula of the “two-state solution” to resolve the conflict.
Beyond the topics to be discussed, attention will be focused on the gestures between the two leaders and on the current state of their personal relationship.
During Trump’s first term, both maintained a close relationship, but later the former US president felt betrayed when Netanyahu congratulated Biden on his victory in the 2020 elections, in which Trump denounced an alleged electoral fraud without evidence.
Since then, Netanyahu has sought to rebuild the relationship with Trump. In July of last year, he traveled to the US president’s mansion in Florida to meet with him before the elections and, after his victory in November, he was one of the first leaders to congratulate him.
International
Iran Rejects Negotiations With U.S. as Strait of Hormuz Remains Blocked Amid New Attack
Tensions remained high in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday after a vessel was hit by a projectile, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims that negotiations with Iran were moving forward and that the strategic maritime route could reopen as early as Tuesday.
Tehran denied that direct talks were taking place, but Trump insisted that discussions were underway and described the situation as a final opportunity for Iran to reach an agreement.
“This is the last chance they have to sign a good document,” Trump told reporters at the White House, adding that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz could happen “literally tomorrow” Tuesday.
The comments came after another escalation in rhetoric from Washington. Last week, Trump threatened Iran with military strikes before unexpectedly changing course on Sunday and announcing that negotiations with Tehran would resume.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqai rejected the U.S. president’s version of events, stating that Tehran was not holding negotiations with Washington.
“At this moment, we are not negotiating with the United States. We are negotiating with Oman to guarantee safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz,” Baqai said.
Earlier, the Iranian official said that Tehran was close to reaching an agreement with Oman, which lies across the Strait of Hormuz, to reopen the crucial waterway that plays a key role in global energy trade.
The maritime route has remained blocked by Iran since the outbreak of hostilities following U.S. and Israeli strikes against the Islamic Republic on February 28.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced Tuesday that they had launched an attack against an airport in Saudi Arabia. The Iran-backed group had previously disrupted the passage of Saudi vessels through the Red Sea, an alternative route used for crude exports by the world’s largest oil producer.
The continued instability in the region has raised concerns over global energy supplies, as the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most important chokepoints for international oil shipments.
International
Lula Launches Re-Election Campaign Amid Rising Tensions With Trump
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is set to be officially nominated for re-election by his Workers’ Party (PT), marking the start of his campaign for a fourth presidential term.
The nomination takes place during the party’s national convention in São Paulo, Brazil’s economic hub, where around 3,000 supporters gathered to back the veteran leftist leader.
“Today I’m here because Lula’s policies changed my life and my family’s. Thanks to him, we finally own a home after eight generations without one,” said Cristiane Rosa Julho, a 51-year-old social worker attending the event dressed in the PT’s signature red.
Seeking the presidency for the seventh time in his political career, Lula is expected to face Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in next year’s election.
The 45-year-old senator is the son of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who has been jailed over his alleged role in an attempted coup following his defeat to Lula in the 2022 election.
The party convention opened with videos highlighting Lula’s social initiatives and speeches by four women praising his leadership, while supporters waved PT flags and held signs reading “We Want Lula as President” and “Brazil Is Not for Sale.”
The campaign begins amid growing tensions with the United States and President Donald Trump, a close ally of the Bolsonaro family who has openly backed several conservative candidates across Latin America.
Last week, Lula warned against foreign interference, declaring, “In Brazil, we do not accept anyone sticking their nose where it doesn’t belong.”
In July, the United States imposed two rounds of tariffs on Brazilian products, accusing the country of unfair trade practices. The measures followed earlier restrictions introduced in 2025, encouraged by Jair Bolsonaro’s son Eduardo Bolsonaro, in response to legal proceedings against the former president.
Lula has vowed to wage what he called a “war of truth against lies” in response to Washington’s pressure and accused Flávio Bolsonaro of undermining Brazil’s interests by allegedly helping the United States damage the country’s economy. The senator has denied the accusations.
The Brazilian president also claims Washington is attempting to influence the country’s political landscape in an effort to prevent his re-election.
International
Truck bomb attack near police station in Colombia leaves 14 injured ahead of presidential inauguration
A truck loaded with explosives exploded on Saturday near a police station in the Colombian city of Cúcuta, close to the Venezuelan border, leaving 14 people injured in an attack that occurred six days before president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella’s inauguration.
The blast took place in the early hours of the morning and was allegedly carried out by members of the National Liberation Army (ELN), who detonated a vehicle packed with explosives. According to the latest report from the Colombian Army, the attack injured 11 police officers and three civilians.
The explosion involved around 15 explosive devices, and two of the wounded officers are in critical condition and “fighting for their lives,” said William Villamizar, governor of Norte de Santander, the region where the attack occurred.
The incident comes amid Colombia’s worst wave of violence in the past decade, with armed groups expanding their presence in several areas of the country.
“I strongly condemn the cowardly terrorist attack carried out in Cúcuta against our National Police. Terrorism will not intimidate Colombia or break the determination of Colombians to live in peace and security,” De la Espriella said in a post on X.
The conservative lawyer, who has been described as a far-right figure, will take office on August 7, replacing Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing president. The inauguration ceremony will be held in Cali, the country’s third-largest city and a frequent target of attacks by armed groups.
The United Nations condemned what it described as an “indiscriminate attack” that caused not only injuries but also “fear and distress among the population.”
De la Espriella has repeatedly warned about an alleged plot against his life. Meanwhile, President Gustavo Petro, who is currently visiting Cuba, has not commented on the attack. During his visit, Petro met with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel to discuss what Havana describes as the United States’ “policy of suffocation” toward the island.
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