US President Donald Trump will turn his focus to the Middle East on Monday, as he hosts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida for talks that are expected to cover Gaza and a range of other pressing issues.
Any decisions made could have a potentially momentous impact on questions that determine the future of the region.
The US has been Israel's strongest military and political backer throughout two years of war in Gaza and many are now looking to the meeting as a test of the leaders' relationship and how aligned they are on key topics.
It will be their sixth meeting since Trump's return to office 11 months ago.
Among the expected points of discussion is the future of relations with Syria's new government, Iranian rearmament, and Hezbollah's role in Lebanon.
Perhaps most critically, they will discuss the progress of the Gaza ceasefire deal, where Israel's government has taken several positions diverging from those of the US government.
The talks will take place as storms continue to lash Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians remain living in basic tents that offer little protection from the cold and flooding.
On Monday, the death of a two-month-old baby due to the severe cold was reported by the Hamas-run health ministry, bringing the total killed by wintry weather since December 10 to three, while another 17 people have been killed by collapsing buildings during the storms.
The UN and numerous aid agencies have accused Israel of not meeting its ceasefire obligations by continuing to restrict full access to basic supplies and equipment. Israel has said it is adhering to its obligations in facilitating an increase in aid deliveries.
The Trump administration wants to see the ceasefire progress to its second phase in January, whereby a Palestinian technocratic government would be established alongside the deployment of an international security force, Hamas would disarm, Israeli troops would withdraw, and the reconstruction of the devastated territory would begin.
Critics charge that Netanyahu might seek to delay the ceasefire's progress, aiming instead to push for Hamas to fully disarm before discussions of an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Hamas officials have maintained that disarmament should coincide with advances toward Palestinian statehood.
The 20-point peace plan promoted by Trump recognizes Palestinian aspirations for a sovereign state, although Netanyahu and his ministers have rejected this idea since the ceasefire began.
Israel's Defense Minister recently asserted that the country would build settlements in Gaza and would never fully withdraw from the territory, despite such decisions conflicting with key tenets of the ceasefire agreement.
Breaking the current impasse is deemed crucial by many in the region, especially with near-daily Israeli military attacks continuing in Gaza despite the ceasefire's declaration. Reports indicate that at least 414 Palestinians have lost their lives to Israeli military action since the ceasefire was implemented.
The situation continues to escalate, with expectations that both leaders may find common ground amid their discussions, especially concerning military actions against Iran and the broader political landscape in the Middle East.
