Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit the White House next week on July 7 for talks with President Donald Trump, as Washington ramps up the pressure for a ceasefire in Gaza, AFP reports.

A Trump administration official confirmed the visit to AFP on condition of anonymity.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier that Netanyahu had “expressed interest” in a meeting with Trump and that both sides were “working on a date.

“This has been a priority for the president since he took office, to end this brutal war in Gaza,” Leavitt told reporters in a briefing.

“It’s heartbreaking to see the images that have come out from both Israel and Gaza throughout this war, and the president wants to see it end.”

A senior Israeli official, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, is due to visit the White House this week for talks to lay the ground for Netanyahu’s visit, Leavitt said.