Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has used a cosy White House dinner to surprise Donald Trump with a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. Netanyahu, 75, hand-delivered the nomination letter to a shocked Trump during the soiree on Monday.

Trump has been pushing Netanyahu with increasing urgency for a truce in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, which he hoped to clinch “this week”. When asked about a possible deal, the US president said the negotiations were going well. “I don’t think there’s a hold-up,” he said.