Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled visit to Mar-a-Lago to meet with former U.S. President Donald Trump is being widely viewed by diplomats and officials as a crucial turning point in the implementation of the Gaza peace deal and the broader post-war transition process.

The summit, set to take place at Trump’s estate in Florida in late December, comes amid mounting pressure from both sides to clarify the next steps of the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, a multilateral mechanism signed in October 2025 under United States leadership.

Senior Israeli and U.S. officials say the discussions will focus on key issues in the peace process, including the establishment of a Palestinian technocratic government to replace Hamas’s control in Gaza, the deployment of an International Stabilization Force under the United Nations-mandated Board of Peace, and mechanisms to ensure the gradual demilitarization of the enclave.

Netanyahu has expressed reservations about several elements of the U.S.-backed plan, and analysts suggest that convincing Trump to support a more hardline Israeli approach to security arrangements and governance structures in Gaza is a principal objective of the visit.

The White House team is pushing for rapid implementation of Phase Two of the 20-point framework, which envisages restoring civil order and governance functions in Gaza, a step seen as vital to preventing further instability.

Friction remains over potential roles for regional actors such as Qatar and Turkey, and Washington has also signalled growing concern about the possibility of a collapse of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, which could complicate implementation efforts.

While Netanyahu is expected to seek reassurances that Israel’s security imperatives will be upheld, U.S. officials are emphasising the need to adhere to the core elements of the peace deal, including the deployment of the multinational force and the empowerment of a neutral governing body in Gaza.

Observers say that a successful outcome in Florida could reinvigorate diplomatic momentum ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos, where leaders hope to formally announce further steps in reconstruction and stabilisation.

But failure to reach common ground could stall the fragile process and prompt renewed tensions, underscoring just how central the Mar-a-Lago talks have become to the future of peace efforts between Israel, the Palestinians and the international community.