Photo: Reuters
At a joint press conference at the White House, US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer discussed the situation in the Middle East, including the possibility of a further ceasefire in Gaza.
Trump: “The first phase is almost complete”
The US President stated that his administration is “working diligently on the Middle East, Gaza and all the issues there”. When asked about the possibility of a second phase of the ceasefire in Gaza, Trump said:
“I think we’ll come up with some pretty good solutions, but the first phase is almost complete.”
He also emphasised that the US has played a “huge role” in influencing the situation in the region since he took office in January, but avoided making any clear predictions, saying:
“We’ll see what happens. Nobody really knows, but we’ll see.”
Starmer: “Two states are the only way to peace”
The British Prime Minister described the ceasefire over the past two weeks as “very impressive”. He particularly praised the release of British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari and the Palestinians who are “marching through the rubble” to return home.
Starmer stressed the importance of supporting the peace process and helping the civilian population:
“We must do everything we can to ensure that the ceasefire continues, that more hostages can be returned, that aid can be delivered, that it is so desperately needed.”
He also clearly expressed his position on a long-term settlement of the conflict:
“We must allow the Palestinians to return and rebuild their lives, and we must all support them in doing so. And yes, I believe that a two-state solution is ultimately the only way to lasting peace in the region.”
