Israeli prime minister gives surprising letter to Donald Trump during meeting

Attending the White House this week amid Donald Trump's push for a ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu handed the US President a pretty unexpected letter.

According to sources that spoke to the New York Times, the pair were scheduled to discuss the trio of missiles the Republican launched at Iranian nuclear facilities last month.

At the time, Trump had reportedly acted after Iran both threatened the US with an imminent sleeper cell attack and bombed a US base in Qatar.

More urgently, however, the 79-year-old and Netanyahu had planned to discuss a possible ceasefire in Gaza, and normalising relations between Israel and its Middle Eastern neighbours.

Following the October 7, 2023, Hamas' attack on Israel, Israel has been accused of committing war crimes against people living in Gaza, such as bombing civilian communities and preventing humanitarian aid from reaching Palestinian citizens.

Netanyahu met with Trump at the White House this week (MEHMET ESER/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel went on to launch a missile attack on Iran, which roped America in as a mutual enemy.

The atrocities caused by Israeli forces over the last two years have reached such an extent, however, that the United Nations' International Criminal Court currently has an arrest warrant out for Netanyahu.

For reference, throughout the crisis, America has provided Israel with extensive military, diplomatic, and financial support - about $310 million in economic and military assistance, according to Council on Foreign Relations.

In recent months, however, Trump has spoken regularly about his hopes for a ceasefire in the Middle East, and invited Netanyahu to the US discuss such matters this week with Marco Rubio, the US' Secretary of State and the Special Presidential Envoy to the area, Steve Witkoff.

Following the meeting, the Israeli leader, 75, joined Trump in the White House's Blue Room for dinner, despite crowds supporting Palestine gathering outside.

Following an initial welcoming from the President, Netanyahu suddenly began heaping praise onto his American counterpart. "I want to express the appreciation and admiration not only of all Israelis," he began.

Netanyahu heaped praise onto Trump (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"But of the Jewish people and many, many admirers around the world, for your leadership, your leadership of the free world, your leadership of a just cause, and the pursuit of peace and security."

Netanyahu continued: "The president has an extraordinary team, and I think our teams, together, make, an extraordinary combination to meet challenges and seize opportunities."

The Prime Minister added that Trump has 'already realised great opportunities, including forging the 2020 Abraham Accords. These describe diplomatic agreements between Israel and a number of Arab states.'

Netanyahu went on: "He’s forging peace as we speak, in one country and one region after the other."

It was then that the Israeli pulled out a letter, revealing he'd nominated Trump for the Nobel Prize for Peace.

"So, I want to present to you, Mr President, the letter I sent to the Nobel Prize committee," Netanyahu smiled whilst extending the letter across the table. "It’s nominating you for the peace prize, which is well-deserved."

Trump was reportedly surprised by the gesture (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

Father-of-four Trump accepted the latter, thanking the PM and claiming he had no idea such a nomination was in the works.

America's proposal for a Middle Eastern ceasefire was partially crafted by Witkoff, who will travel to Qatar later this week to broach the agreement with other countries involved in the devastating tensions.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also told press that Trump and Netanyahu seemed to be on the same page with the 'agreeable and appropriate' ceasefire deal on the table.

During an official briefing, she told attendees: "The utmost priority for the president right now in the Middle East is to end the war in Gaza and to return all of the hostages.

"There was a cease-fire proposal that Israel supports that was sent to Hamas, and we hope that they will agree to this proposal. We want to see all of the hostages released."