'This is very meaningful': Benjamin Netanyahu nominates Donald Trump for Nobel Peace Prize amid Gaza ceasefire talks

The Israeli Prime Minister made the announcement at a White House dinner - giving the US President the nomination letter to read.

"Coming from you in particular, this is very meaningful," Trump said.

Netanyahu said Trump was "forging peace as we speak, and one country and one region after the other".

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to the person who does the most for "fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses".

Read more: Trump delays tariffs on 14 countries until August

Read more: Gaza ceasefire talks underway in Qatar as Netanyahu readies to meet Trump in Washington

Trump took credit for stopping Iran and Israel's "12-day war" last month by announcing it on Truth Social, and the ceasefire has so far continued.

Trump has claimed US strikes destroyed Iran's nuclear weapons programme - and that the country now wants to restart negotiations.

"We have scheduled Iran talks, and they want to," Trump said on Monday.

"They want to talk."

Iran has not confirmed the move.

The country's president told US broadcaster Tucker Carlson he believes Iran can work out the differences with the US through dialogue.

Masoud Pezeshkian also stated Iran would be able to resume cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.

Although he noted full access to nuclear sites wasn't yet possible as US attacks had caused too much destruction.

It comes after Hamas said it had "positively responded" to the ceasefire proposal - subject to further talks.

However, Mr Netanyahu has dismissed amendments proposed by Hamas to a potential ceasefire agreement, calling them “unacceptable,” though he did not specify which changes were being rejected.

Among the reported demands, Hamas is calling for the removal of the controversial US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

A statement from Mr Netanyahu's office said: "The changes that Hamas is seeking to make in the Qatari proposal were conveyed to us last night and are unacceptable to Israel.

"In light of an assessment of the situation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed that the invitation to proximity talks be accepted and that the contacts for the return of our hostages - on the basis of the Qatari proposal that Israel has agreed to - be continued."

Last week, US President Donald Trump said a ceasefire could be agreed "next week" and promised to be "very firm" with Mr Netanyahu ahead of a meeting between the two leaders at the White House on Monday.

He previously said Israel had accepted the conditions necessary for a 60-day ceasefire.

US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told Israel's Channel 12 TV on Thursday: "We sure hope it's a done deal, but I think it's all going to be what Hamas is willing to accept.

"One thing is clear: The president wants it to be over. The prime minister wants it to be over. The American people, the Israeli people, want it to be over."

Netanyahu told reporters on Monday that the US and Israel were working with other countries who would give Palestinians "a better future" - and suggest those in Gaza could move elsewhere.

"If people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave," he added.

"We've had great cooperation from... surrounding countries, great cooperation from every single one of them. So something good will happen," Trump said.

Last week, 70 people died and 332 were injured in hospitals in the Gaza Strip after Israeli strikes, according to the Hamas-run Palestinian Ministry of Health.

It said that a total of 57,338 people have died since the October 7, 2023 attack.