Sky News halted for Donald Trump 'breaking news' as Israeli PM visits White House

paused it's regular programming and cut to the White House for breaking news as U.S. President welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House. Netanyahu is in Washington for a second meeting since President Trump took office and as Israel's war in Gaza marks a year and a half. Netanyahu says he expects to discuss efforts to release Israeli hostages from Gaza, as well as new U.S. tariffs.

The Trump administration imposed 17% tariffs on Israel as part of new trade measures on goods from many countries. Netanyahu is under domestic pressure from ex-Israeli security leaders, demonstrators, and families of hostages in Gaza to resume ceasefire talks, a stance his far-right coalition has been reluctant to adopt. The meeting comes amid a third day of stock-market panic over his recent "Liberation Day" reciprocal tariff announcement. A larger press pool that had gathered in the East Room moments before Netanyahu's arrival was axed moments before the PM's arrival, with a smaller Oval Office Q&A still scheduled to take place.

Monday's meeting with Trump coincides with the 18-month anniversary of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which escalated after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Since the end of a two-month ceasefire, Israel has intensified its military actions and imposed a five-week blockade restricting the flow of aid and goods into Gaza.

Human rights organizations and the United Nations have condemned the blockade enforced by Israel, declaring it a violation of international law.

The Israeli government maintains that the blockade is part of its strategy to pressure Hamas to release all hostages and ultimately dismantle the militant group.

The attack by Hamas in 2023 resulted in nearly 1,200 deaths in Israel and the capture of 251 hostages, as reported by Israeli officials.

's Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter told Fox News Digital: "This meeting comes at a critical moment on many key issues: the efforts to return our hostages being held by Hamas, the instability in Syria and the threats posed by Iranian proxies."

"The recent implementation of tariff policy will also be discussed. Just as Prime Minister Netanyahu was the first world leader to visit President Trump in his second term in the White House, he is now once again the first leader to meet with the president with regard to deepening economic ties and putting trade relations in order," he added.

Netanyahu last met with Trump in Washington on February 4th.

During last week's "Liberation Day" announcement, a 17% tariff on goods imported from Israel - a 10% baseline on all countries that took effect on April 5 and an additional 7% - was scheduled for April 9.

"The fear is that these tariffs will hurt exports of diamonds as well as high-tech or defense systems like drones. If our income were to be reduced as a result, this would be a problem," Alex Coman, a value-creation expert at the Holon Institute of Technology in Israel, told .

"These tariffs came as a surprise. Prior to this decision, there were very few imposed, many products did not have them and Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich eliminated those that existed," adding, "As such, I am very optimistic that these tariffs will be reduced."