WASHINGTON (7News) — President Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a sit-down visit at the White House Monday evening.

This marks Netanyahu's third visit to DC during the Trump Administration.

The talks come as President Trump said he would be "very firm" with Netanyahu on the need to strike a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

The visit struck a chord with hundreds of protestors who chanted in Lafayette Square as the visit was underway.

"To see such a big crowd shows how agitated people are in this moment," Sara Suleiman, a protester with the Palestinian Youth Movement. "People here are really just demanding that the US officials in this country listen to the people in the demands that they’ve been making for 21 months now."

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Here's a look inside Monday night's meeting:

"Thank you very much, everybody. It’s an honor to have Bibi and Sarah with us," President Trump said. "Friends of mine for a long time, and we’ve had tremendous success together, and I think it will only go on to be greater success in the future."

"Thank you. I want to express the appreciation, admiration not only of all Israelis, but the Jewish people," Netanyahu replied.

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Ahead of the protest, 7News' Lianna Golden spoke with the CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, Ron Halber, about the visit.

Halber believes a ceasefire deal can't and won't be struck without a hostage-release agreement.

"We’d like to see Israeli troops come home, the hostages be returned, some semblance of life returned to the Gaza Strip," Halber said. "I’m hoping there’s actually a path for peace. I’m hoping that there could be at least an interim arrangement arranged with Gaza that will allow the people to flourish, dig out of the rubble, and begin their lives again."