Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara Netanyahu, attended the presidential New Year's Eve celebration at Mar-a-Lago in Florida at US President Donald Trump's invitation, the Prime Minister's Office said on Thursday evening.
Netanyahu was the only foreign leader invited to the event and is also the only foreign leader to have ever attended a presidential ball, according to the PMO.
The celebration followed a scheduled meeting between the two leaders, the sixth since Trump began his second term in January 2024, meant to cover several key issues, including advancing Trump’s plan for the Gaza Strip, Iran’s ballistic missile program, and the situation in Lebanon.
Gaza likely to be significant point of contention
The most significant point of contention is likely to be Gaza, where Israel insists that reconstruction of the Strip cannot begin until Hamas fully disarms. In contrast, the US administration has already indicated that Trump’s plan will move to its second phase in January, which includes key agreements.
Itzik and Talik Gvili, the parents of St.-Sgt.-Maj. Ran Gvili, the final hostage whose remains are still being held by Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip, also traveled to Florida to meet with Trump as part of the efforts to return their son's remains to Israel.
Amichai Stein contributed to this report.