Jerome Sokolovsky

This will be the fifth time Netanyahu visits the White House since President Trump's current term began in January.

An Israeli government spokesperson says the meeting will take place on December 29th and that the prime minister will stay in Washington until after the new year.

Netanyahu said on Sunday that he wants to use the meeting to talk about how to end Hamas rule in Gaza.

Fighting in Gaza has continued sporadically despite a ceasefire in October.

But a Hamas leader told NPR in Qatar that if there are negotiations leading to a Palestinian state, the group would agree to not use its weapons against Israel.