
Hottest 12 months in 125,000 years – how extreme weather broke more records in 2023
More Videos
Published
2 years agoon
By
adminExtreme weather has seen records broken and many lives lost or displaced in 2023.
Scientists believe preliminary figures show the past 12 months to be the hottest in 125,000 years.
Here’s a look at some of the year’s biggest weather-related events from across the globe.
January
In the US, the end of 2022 into the first weeks of 2023 saw at least 21 people killed in flooding, mudslides and power outages in California – a further 1,400 were rescued.
Iowa saw its first January tornadoes in more than 50 years, while around 50 million people were placed under alert as a winter storm slowly moved across the southern states.

January: Flooding and mudslides ushered in the new year in California. Pic: AP
This was despite, overall, the US experiencing its sixth warmest January on record.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the average temperature was 5.1F above average.
In New Zealand, four people died as torrential rain brought flash flooding and landslides to Auckland.
In Western Australia’s Kimberley region, Tropical Cyclone Ellie brought a year’s worth of rain in just a few days.
The “one-in-100-year” floods forced military aircraft to help residents evacuate their homes.
February
At the beginning of the month, Cyclone Freddy formed in the southern Indian Ocean near Australia and became one of the most long-lasting and deadly storms on record.
It would take until the middle of March before it finally dissipated, leaving behind a trail of destruction and breaking records for the number of times – seven – it re-intensified.

February/March: Cyclone Freddy brought severe flooding to Malawi
Officials believe it killed at least 1,400 people – including more than 1,200 in Malawi where intense rain brought destructive flash flooding.
Hundreds more people were left missing.
When it made landfall in Madagascar and Mozambique, authorities said it killed more than 200 people and damaged thousands of buildings, infrastructure and farmland.
The storm recorded more energy over its lifetime than a whole typical US hurricane season, meteorologists said.
March
Some parts of Spain experienced their driest March in 20 years, officially placing the country in long-term drought and increasing concerns about the nation’s water reserves.
Drinking water supplies fell to their lowest level since 1990, officials said.
Spain’s first major wildfire of the year forced hundreds of villagers to leave behind their animals as they fled their homes.
Torrential rain brought surging waters and flash flooding to Turkish provinces Adiyaman and Sanliurfa.

March: A man walks on the cracked ground of what is normally a reservoir in Catalonia, Spain

March: The power of Cyclone Freddy left a trail of destruction in Malawi and Mozambique. Pic: AP
Officials said 16 people were killed as roads were turned into rivers in the same southeastern region which had been hit by an earthquake just weeks earlier.
A container home providing accommodation for a group of earthquake survivors in Tut, a town in Adiyaman, was swept away, while two firefighters were reported missing and another six people died in floodwaters in Sanliurfa.
April
Many parts of Europe felt more like July as a heatwave gripped much of the continent and broke records.
A heat dome from northern Africa to the Iberian Peninsula saw the mercury climb to around 40C (104F) for millions of people – up to 20C higher than the average for the time of year.
Spain recorded its hottest ever April temperature, reaching 38.8C (101.84F), while the blistering heat also hit a record high in Portugal.
The extreme conditions followed the driest March in 20 years in Spain, officially placing the nation into long-term drought and prompting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to warn of the ongoing “challenge” posed by climate change.
Reservoirs were around 15% below average levels, with some shrinking to just 26% of capacity.

April: Damaged homes in the aftermath of tornadoes which swept through the US south and Midwest
At least 11 people were killed when tornadoes ploughed through the US south and Midwest.
One person died when the storms forced a theatre roof to collapse during a heavy metal gig in Belvidere, Illinois – leaving many others buried beneath rubble.
May
Hundreds of people were reported killed or missing as Cyclone Mocha made landfall in Myanmar and the coast of Bangladesh.
Myanmar’s meteorological department said it packed winds of around 130mph as it reached land – but it had also become one of the strongest storms on record when it intensified to 175mph as it headed across the Indian Ocean.
Officials in Myanmar, a country run by military leadership, said more than 450 people had been killed, but other reports put the figure nearer to 150.

May: A woman salvages belongings from her home, which was damaged by Cyclone Mocha in Bangladesh. Pic: AP
In Bangladesh, around 500,000 people fled coastal areas – while the UN said the severe conditions had put two million individuals at risk.
In the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, more than 400 people were said to have been killed in flash floods in one of the country’s deadliest natural disasters.

May: Communities were swept away by landslides in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Days of torrential rain triggered landslides and caused rivers to break their banks.
Speaking to the Reuters news agency, South Kivu governor Theo Ngwabidje Kasi said the number of deaths stood at 401 – but officials feared this was eventually much higher.
Flooding and landslides also killed at least 129 people in Rwanda and six in Uganda.
June
Fires which first started burning in April and May escalated further in June in what would become the worst wildfire season in Canadian history.
The previous record season was in 1989 when wildfires scorched 7.6 million hectares (18.8 million acres) – nearly the size of Scotland.
But in 2023, thousands of people were displaced and at least four firefighters died as the burning conditions swept across at least 18 million hectares (44.5 million acres) – an area comfortably bigger than England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined.

June: Smoke from wildfires in Canada drifted into the US, dramatically hitting the air quality in cities like New York. Pic: AP
With drier conditions than normal, smoke from Canadian fires drifted south into the US, forcing thousands of flights to be delayed and postponing baseball games.
Cities were left in a yellow-brown fog as forest fires in Canada saw 120,000 people flee their homes.
Most of Haiti was hit by heavy rain, strong winds, floods and landslides at the beginning of the month.
More than 40 people died, while nearly 6,500 had to leave their homes, according to the Haitian civil protection – but other sources said around 40,000 had been displaced due to the extreme conditions.
July
Temperatures consistently climbed above 40C across Europe as the month became the hottest on record.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service said the average world temperature was 16.95C (62.51F) across the month – beating the 2019 record of 16.63C (61.93F).
Antarctic sea ice also dropped to lows not seen since records began in 1979.

July: Two bears stand as workers prepare to throw food to them at a sanctuary in Kosovo as temperatures soar
July also saw the hottest three-week period ever recorded, the three hottest days on record, and the highest-ever ocean temperatures for the time of year.
The month became the hottest on record.
Southern Europe struggled with record high temperatures, while wildfires in Canada and Greece continued to impact the environment and people’s health.
The European Space Agency’s heat-sensing satellite Copernicus detected land surface temperatures had exceeded 45C (113F) across much of Italy.
On the slopes of Mount Etna, the volcano on Sicily, the earth temperature passed 50C (122F) on 9 and 10 July when readings were taken in the morning.
A southern Europe heatwave, named Ceberus, saw Spain, France, Greece, Turkey, Kosovo and Italy struggling in the intense conditions.
Spain flirted with temperatures of around 45C, while Sicily and Sardinia continued to experience figures approaching 50C.
Forest fires took hold across the continent, including in Turkey, Greece, Croatia, Portugal, Spain and Italy.

July: Wildfires threatened seaside communities in Greece
In Greece, evacuation orders were issued for at least six seaside communities. Hundreds of children were also evacuated from a summer camp west of Athens.
The European Forest Fire Information System said across the EU, more than 180,000 hectares (444,800 acres) of land – an area bigger than Greater London – had been scorched by the fires by the end of the third week of July.
In the Philippines, at least 27 people died when a boat overturned during a typhoon.
Record monsoon showers killed more than 100 people over two weeks in parts of northern India, including in Himachal Pradesh, which was the worst hit.
In neighbouring Myanmar, five people were killed and around 60,000 were displaced after heavy flooding caused by intense rain.
At least 33 people died and many others were trapped when monsoon rain continued into August, triggering floods and landslides in India’s Himalayan region.
Rainfall was “excessive” in Pakistan – the country’s meteorological service said it was 70% above average – with the authorities revealing at least 50 people had died in heavy monsoon rains.
July also saw the beginning of a lengthy heatwave in South America.
In what is normally the winter, temperatures climbed to above 40C in Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina and lingered into the spring.

July: Flooding brought chaos to parts of Japan. Pic: AP

July: Buildings were swept away by floods and landslides in Japan. Pic: AP
In Japan, two people died and more were missing as tens of thousands of residents were urged to move out of areas in danger of landslides and flooding amid torrential rain.
In China, torrid heat gripped the country for several weeks – forcing local officials to ask residents and businesses to curb the usage of electricity.
Heavy rainstorms hit New York and Pennsylvania with the emergency services rescuing people stuck in vehicles along flooded roads.
A “dangerous” heatwave also affected up to 200 million people in the eastern United States.
In Phoenix, Arizona, the mercury climbed to above 43C (109.4F) for a record 31 consecutive days – while President Joe Biden said experts had revealed extreme heat was “already costing America $100bn a year”.
UN secretary general Antonio Guterres said: “The only surprise is the speed of the change.
“Climate change is here. It is terrifying. And it is just the beginning.”
August
Hundreds of people were reported missing as wildfires swept across Maui in Hawaii.
Maui county’s mayor, Richard Bissen, said the deadliest fires in US history had killed more than 100 people.
A total of 850 people were still missing following the fires in Maui, he said.

August: Hawaii experienced the deadliest wildfires in US history

August: Vehicles struggle to make their way on one route in California as Storm Hilary grips the area. Pic: AP
Storm Hilary approached the Mexican coast before heading into the US and bringing California its first tropical storm in 84 years.
At least nine million people in southern California were warned of “life-threatening” rain, mudslides, tornadoes, high winds and power outages.
September
Mediterranean Storm Daniel caused catastrophic flooding – before engulfing entire neighbourhoods in Libya.
The storm began forming over the Ionian Sea on 4 September and after battering Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece, made its way south across the Mediterranean towards Africa.

September: Rescuers search through the debris of collapsed buildings in Derna. Pic: AP

September: Thousands of people lost their lives in Derna, Libya. Pic: AP
Thousands were killed in Derna when a torrent of water caused buildings to collapse and swept away communities in the Libyan city.
Libya asked for international help, declaring the eastern Cyrenaica province a disaster area.
The number of deaths climbed to at least 11,300 in Derna, the Libyan Red Crescent said – but government officials said the final figure of those killed was above 20,000 and much of the city had been swept out to sea.

September: After a long heatwave, Storm Daniel brought more disruption to Greece
Many homes, businesses and roads were flooded in Greece – the storm dumped the equivalent of 18 months of rain on Thessaly in less than three days, devastating the agricultural region.
It was a dramatic end to one of Greece’s longest heatwaves in decades.
Three people were killed in Bulgaria when the storm caused a bridge to collapse, officials said.
October
Storm Babet brought extreme conditions, including torrential rain, to northern and western Europe.
In the UK, at least seven people were killed.
The government said reports of floods to the Environment Agency (EA) reached the highest level since 2015/16, with more than 300 flood warnings being issued.
Hundreds of people were left homeless with about 1,250 properties in England flooded, according to the EA.

October: Many areas in the UK broke rainfall records when Storm Babet arrived
The Met Office said a total of 13 areas broke their daily rainfall records for October, including locations in Suffolk, South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Wiltshire, Kincardineshire, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Northumberland, Derbyshire and Humberside.
The storm brought chaos to other parts of Europe – killing one person in Germany, causing water surges not seen in more than 100 years in Denmark, damaged trees and homes in Norway, and caused the collapse of ceilings at a terminal building at Faro airport in Portugal.
Meanwhile, more than 100 dolphins and thousands of fish were found dead in the Brazilian Amazon amid the record-breaking high temperatures.
Experts said the temperature of the water in some parts of the Amazon reached a record 39C (102.2F) and believe the conditions are making it increasingly difficult for wildlife to survive.

October: Canoes on the riverbed in Brazil in a year which brought an historic drought to the Amazon
The Amazon drought shows the region is becoming drier, experts said – by the beginning of November, six out of 22 river monitoring stations had registered their lowest level on record, while just five were at normal levels.
In the city of Manaus, which was choked with smoke from wildfires, the Rio Negro – a tributary of the Amazon River – fell to its lowest level in 121 years.

October: Dolphins were found dead in the Brazilian Amazon amid fears the changing conditions are making it more difficult for wildlife to survive
Experts continued to express concerns about the future of the Amazon, highlighting how it currently absorbs planet-heating carbon.
But if too many trees die and rot, it would become a net carbon emitter – accelerating climate change.
In Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia, seasonal rains lead to severe flooding and landslides.
Hundreds of people are killed while hundreds of thousands are forced from their homes, according to officials.
Kenya’s meteorological department later warns the heavy rains will continue into the new year.
November
A second major storm in a month hits the UK along with the Channel Islands and parts of Europe – bringing 104mph winds, torrential rain and flooding.
The Met Office said Storm Ciaran in southern Britain was “comparable in severity” with the Great Storm of October 1987.

November: Waves crash over the promenade in Kent as Storm Ciaran brings high winds and heavy rain

November: Storm Ciaran brought dangerous conditions to France and across Europe
A tornado in Jersey during the storm was likely to have been the strongest in the British Isles for almost 70 years, the Tornado And Storm Research Organisation said.
In northern France, a reported 1.2 million people were without power.
A Met Office analysis said at least 13 deaths were reported across Europe as the storm made its way into countries such as Germany, Italy and Belgium – other sources said the combined figure of those killed across the continent was above 20.

October and November: The horizon burns near Tenterfield amid a series of wildfires in western parts of Australia
In western Australia, the emergency services tackled bushfires amid a rare spring heatwave with temperatures reaching around 40C.
Ten homes were destroyed, residents were evacuated from some communities and a number of firefighters were hurt tackling fires in Perth.
In Brazil, Sao Paulo saw temperatures reach 37.7C (99.86F) – which meteorologists said was the highest figure for a November day in the city since 1943.
Most Brazilian states faced “great danger” from the ongoing heatwave which had stretched from the region’s winter into what is normally the spring, according to the National Institute Of Meteorology.

November: The soaring Brazilian heat forced people to find ways to cool down, including sitting in a water fountain. Pic: AP
The heat index – a combination of temperature and humidity – hit a record high of 58.5C (137.3F) in Rio de Janeiro.
Wildfires also burned in the Brazilian Pantanal – the world’s biggest tropical wetlands.
The fires ravaged an area about the size of Cyprus, or more than 947,000 hectares (2,340,000 acres).
December
Floods and landslides in northern Tanzania killed 47 people following torrential rain, said government officials.
Search and rescue operations took place in the Manyara region as the authorities feared some bodies might be trapped in the mud.

December: Rescuers search for the bodies of people killed in floods and landslides in Tanzania
The rains left a trail of destruction, damaging infrastructure and submerging towns in East Africa, displacing hundreds of thousands of people.
An atmospheric river brought heavy rain, flooding and warm winter temperatures to the Pacific Northwest.
Daily rainfall records were broken in Seattle after the city received 1.5 inches of rain.
A landslide closed parts of a Seattle trail popular with walkers, joggers and cyclists – while temperatures nearly reached 18C (64.4F) in Walla Walla, Washington.
Record-breaking heat hit parts of Australia.
The temperature reached 43.5C (110.3F) at Sydney Airport – the highest recorded at the same weather station since records began in 1929.
Another weather station in the city recorded temperatures of 38.9C (102F).
The temperature was almost 15 degrees above the average December high for Sydney.
Southern parts of the country then received more than two months of rainfall in less than 24 hours as the heat eased, meteorologists said.
A week later, more than 300 people were rescued from floods caused by heavy rain in northern Australia.
Several towns along the coast near the Great Barrier Reef were cut off by the conditions, which were linked to the former tropical cyclone Jasper.
Queensland state received around 24 inches of rain across 40 hours – more than triple the December average.

December: Storms swept across Tennessee, destroying homes and buildings. Pic: AP
At least six people died in storms and tornadoes across parts of the southern US state of Tennessee.
Spain experienced record heat for December with temperatures of 30C (86F) endangering the winter sports season.
“It’s one of the warmest masses of air to have ever overflown Spain at this point in December,” said Ruben del Campo of the national weather agency AEMET.
Meanwhile, back in the UK this week, a rare supercell thunderstorm hit parts of Greater Manchester, causing significant damage to about 100 homes.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
0:43
Dramatic footage shows tornado damage
It’s also thought a second supercell thunderstorm struck Lancashire, causing hail, lightning and strong winds.
Supercell thunderstorms have a deep and persistently rotating current of air at their centre that can form a tornado in about 30% of supercell thunderstorms or less, according to the US National Weather Service.
You may like
World
IDF chief says conditions ‘created’ for Gaza ceasefire – as Trump says it could be ‘this week or next’
Published
4 hours agoon
July 9, 2025By
admin
Donald Trump and a leading figure in the Israeli army have suggested a ceasefire in Gaza could be close.
Eyal Zamir, chief of staff of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), told Israeli media that “conditions were created to advance a deal” to bring about an end to the conflict in the coastal territory, and the release of hostages.
In a televised address, he said: “We have achieved many significant results, we have caused great damage to the governance and military capabilities of Hamas.
“Thanks to the operational power that we have demonstrated, the conditions have been created to advance a deal to release the hostages.”
‘This week, or next’
It comes as the US president hosts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington DC on a prolonged visit this week.
Mr Trump said his meetings with Mr Netanyahu were focused “on Gaza for the most part”.
More on Gaza
Related Topics:
He said: “I think we have a chance [of a ceasefire] this week, or next week.”
However, the US leader added: “Not definitely,” saying nothing was certain about the situation in Gaza.

Donald Trump speaks, as Pete Hegseth looks on, during a dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Pic: Reuters

Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a bilateral dinner with Donald Trump this week.
Pic: Reuters
Hamas reiterates ‘keenness’ to end fighting
Meanwhile, Hamas has repeated its message that it is committed to the negotiations but warned of a number of sticking points despite the positive noises from senior Israeli figures.
In a statement, the militant group said: “In its keenness to succeed in the ongoing efforts, the movement [Hamas] has shown the necessary flexibility and agreed to release 10 prisoners.
“The key points remain under negotiation, foremost among them: the flow of aid, the withdrawal of the occupation from the territories of the Gaza Strip, and the provision of real guarantees for a permanent ceasefire.”
Read more:
What is the possible Gaza ceasefire deal?
The man acting as backchannel for Hamas
‘One issue’ still to be resolved in ceasefire, Sky News understands
Mr Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff previously told a cabinet meeting that the anticipated ceasefire would last 60 days and involve the release of ten hostages and nine bodies.
A source close to the negotiations told Sky News that the hostage release would take place in two waves during the 60 days and was conditional on the ceasefire.

Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
Israeli strikes continue
It comes as Israeli attacks on Gaza continue.
According to hospital officials, at least 40 Palestinians were killed in the latest attacks on Gaza – including 10 people from the same family.
Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis said the dead included 17 women and 10 children.
World
Why do so many from around the world try to cross the English Channel?
Published
14 hours agoon
July 9, 2025By
admin
While the politicians talk, so many people come from around the world to try to get across the Channel on small boats. But why?
Why make such a perilous crossing to try to get to a country that seems to be getting increasingly hostile to asylum seekers?
As the British and French leaders meet, with small boats at the forefront of their agenda, we came to northern France to get some answers.
It is not a new question, but it is peppered with fresh relevance.
Over the course of a morning spent around a migrant camp in Dunkirk, we meet migrants from Gaza, Iraq, Eritrea, South Sudan, Sri Lanka and beyond.
Some are fearful, waving us away; some are happy to talk. Very few are comfortable to be filmed.
All but one man – who says he’s come to the wrong place and actually wants to claim asylum in Paris – are intent on reaching Britain.
They see the calm seas, feel the light winds – perfect conditions for small boat crossings.
John has come here from South Sudan. He tells me he’s now 18 years old. He left his war-torn home nation just before his 16th birthday. He feels that reaching Britain is his destiny.
“England is my dream country,” he says. “It has been my dream since I was at school. It’s the country that colonised us and when I get there, I will feel like I am home.
“In England, they can give me an opportunity to succeed or to do whatever I need to do in my life. I feel like I am an English child, who was born in Africa.”

‘England is my dream country,’ John tells Adam Parsons
He says he would like to make a career in England, either as a journalist or in human resources, and, like many others we meet, is at pains to insist he will work hard.
The boat crossing is waved away as little more than an inconvenience – a trifle compared with the previous hardships of his journey towards Britain.
We meet a group of men who have all travelled from Gaza, intent on starting new lives in Britain and then bringing their families over to join them.
One man, who left Gaza two years ago, tells me that his son has since been shot in the leg “but there is no hospital for him to go to”.
Next to him, a man called Abdullah says he entered Europe through Greece and stayed there for months on end, but was told the Greek authorities would never allow him to bring over his family.
Britain, he thinks, will be more accommodating. “Gaza is being destroyed – we need help,” he says.

Abdullah says ‘Gaza is being destroyed – we need help’
A man from Eritrea tells us he is escaping a failing country and has friends in Britain – he plans to become a bicycle courier in either London or Manchester.
He can’t stay in France, he says, because he doesn’t speak French. The English language is presented as a huge draw for many of the people we talk to, just as it had been during similar conversations over the course of many years.
I ask many of these people why they don’t want to stay in France, or another safe European country.
Some repeat that they cannot speak the language and feel ostracised. Another says that he tried, and failed, to get a residency permit in both France and Belgium.
But this is also, clearly, a flawed survey. Last year, five times as many people sought asylum in France as in Britain.
And French critics have long insisted that Britain, a country without a European-style ID card system, makes itself attractive to migrants who can “disappear”.
Read more:
Channel crossings rise 50% in first six months of 2025
French police forced to watch on as migrants attempt crossing
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
1:48
Migrant Channel crossings hit new record
A young man from Iraq, with absolutely perfect English, comes for a chat. He oozes confidence and a certain amount of mischief.
It has taken him only seven days to get from Iraq to Dunkirk; when I ask how he has made the trip so quickly, he shrugs. “Money talks”.
He looks around him. “Let me tell you – all of these people you see around you will be getting to Britain and the first job they get will be in the black market, so they won’t be paying any tax.
“Back in the day in Britain, they used to welcome immigrants very well, but these days I don’t think they want to, because there’s too many of them coming by boat. Every day it’s about seven or 800 people. That’s too many people.”
“But,” I ask, “if those people are a problem – then what makes you different? Aren’t you a problem too?”
He shakes his head emphatically. “I know that I’m a very good guy. And I won’t be a problem. I’ll only stay in Britain for a few years and then I’ll leave again.”

A man from Sri Lanka says he “will feel safe” when he gets to Britain; a tall, smiling man from Ethiopia echoes the sentiment: “We are not safe in our home country so we have come all this way,” he says. “We want to work, to be part of Britain.”
Emmanuel is another from South Sudan – thoughtful and eloquent. He left his country five years ago – “at the start of COVID” – and has not seen his children in all that time. His aim is to start a new life in Britain, and then to bring his family to join him.
He is a trained electrical engineer, but says he could also work as a lorry driver. He is adamant that Britain has a responsibility to the people of its former colony.

Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
“The British came to my country – colonising, killing, raping,” he said. “And we didn’t complain. We let it happen.
“I am not the problem. I won’t fight anyone; I want to work. And if I break the laws – if any immigrant breaks the laws – then fine, deport them.
“I know it won’t be easy – some people won’t like me, some people will. But England is my dream.”
World
Trump applying ‘heavy pressure’ on Netanyahu to end war in Gaza
Published
23 hours agoon
July 9, 2025By
admin
US President Donald Trump is putting “heavy” pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza, two sources close to the ceasefire negotiations have told Sky News.
One US source said: “The US pressure on Israel has begun, and tonight it will be heavy.”
The source, who is not authorised to speak publicly, was referring to the White House dinner on Monday night between Trump and Netanyahu.
A second Middle Eastern diplomatic source agreed that the American pressure on Israel would be intense.

Benjamin Netanyahu gave Donald Trump a letter saying he had nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize. Pic: AP
Netanyahu arrived in Washington DC in the early hours of Monday morning and held meetings on Monday with Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East envoy, and Marco Rubio, the secretary of state and national security adviser.
The Israeli prime minister plans to be in Washington until Thursday with meetings on Capitol Hill on Tuesday.
Trump has made clear his desire to bring the Gaza conflict to an end.
However, he has never articulated how a lasting peace, which would satisfy both the Israelis and Palestinians, could be achieved.
His varying comments about ownership of Gaza, moving Palestinians out of the territory and permanent resettlement, have presented a confusing policy.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
2:36
‘Israel has shifted towards economy of genocide’
Situation for Palestinians worse than ever
Over the coming days, we will see the extent to which Trump demands that Netanyahu accepts the current Gaza ceasefire deal, even if it falls short of Israel’s war aims – the elimination of Hamas.
The strategic objective to permanently remove Hamas seems always to have been impossible. Hamas as an entity was the extreme consequence of the Israeli occupation.
The Palestinians’ challenge has not gone away, and the situation for Palestinians now is worse than it has ever been in Gaza and also the West Bank. It is not clear how Trump plans to square that circle.
Read more:
Explainer – What is the possible Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal?
Israeli soldier describes arbitrary killing of civilians in Gaza
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
5:13
‘Some Israeli commanders can decide to do war crimes’
Trump’s oft-repeated desire to “stop the killing” is sincere. Those close to him often emphasise this. He is also looking to cement his legacy as a peacemaker. He genuinely craves the Nobel Peace Prize.
In this context, the complexities of conflicts – in Ukraine or Gaza – are often of secondary importance to the president.
If Netanyahu can be persuaded to end the war, what would he need?
The hostages back – for sure. That would require agreement from Hamas. They would only agree to this if they have guarantees on Gaza’s future and their own future. More circles to square.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
17:44
Trump 100: We answer your questions
Was White House dinner a key moment?
The Monday night dinner could have been a key moment for the Middle East. Two powerful men in the Blue Room of the White House, deciding the direction of the region.
Will it be seen as the moment the region was remoulded? But to whose benefit?
Trump is a dealmaker with an eye on the prize. But Netanyahu is a political master; they don’t call him “the magician” for nothing.

Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
Trump makes decisions instinctively. He can shift position quickly and often listens to the last person in the room. Right now – that person is Netanyahu.
Gaza is one part of a jigsaw of challenges, which could become opportunities.
Diplomatic normalisation between Israel and the Arab world is a prize for Trump and could genuinely secure him the Nobel Peace Prize.
But without the Gaza piece, the jigsaw is incomplete.
Trending
-
Sports3 years ago
‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year ago
Story injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years ago
Game 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years ago
MLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years ago
Japan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Sports2 years ago
Button battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years ago
Game-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike