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U.S. President Donald Trump will not oppose Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to launch a new military operation to fully occupy the Gaza Strip and has decided to allow the Israeli government operational freedom to make independent decisions on the matter, according to senior American and Israeli officials cited by Israeli media outlet Channel 12.
The Israeli Security Cabinet is expected to approve Thursday evening a plan to expand the war and occupy Gaza City and additional areas in the center of the Strip.
The new military campaign is expected to last at least several months and include the displacement of about one million Palestinian civilians.
American and Israeli officials said Trump does not intend to interfere in Israel's decision-making process regarding the new Gaza occupation plans.
A senior American official emphasized that the Trump administration does not support the annexation of parts of Gaza by Israel.
The Trump administration is expected to focus in the coming weeks on addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The American president discussed the issue in a meeting with his envoy Steve Witkoff at the White House on Monday. Witkoff presented the president with a plan that includes significantly increasing U.S. involvement in providing humanitarian aid to the Strip and taking leadership on the issue.
When asked Tuesday about the possibility that Israel would fully occupy Gaza, Trump replied, "I really can't say. It's up to Israel."
A senior American official said Trump was influenced by a video released by Hamas showing Israeli hostage Avitar David.
After viewing the video, Trump decided to give Netanyahu "greater operational freedom" for military action in Gaza.
"The video affected the president, and he's going to allow the Israelis to do what they need to do," the American official said.
According to Israeli state television KAN, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir reportedly opposes the plan to fully occupy Gaza.
Netanyahu's office reportedly sent a message to Zamir stating, "If the full Gaza occupation plan doesn't suit you, you should resign."
Netanyahu is expected to convene the Security Cabinet Thursday evening to discuss the attack plans, including the full occupation of the Gaza Strip.
According to Israeli media, mediator countries are pressuring Israel to halt the plan to fully occupy the Gaza Strip and restart negotiations for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement.
Israeli state television KAN reported that mediators are applying intense pressure to stop Israel's Gaza occupation plan and return the Tel Aviv government to the negotiating table.
An unnamed Israeli source was quoted as saying, "There is no possibility of returning to negotiations without the Gaza occupation plan being approved."
The report stated that mediators are trying to stop Netanyahu's occupation plan while also pressuring Hamas to return to the negotiating table. Qatar, Egypt, and the United States mediate ceasefire and prisoner exchange negotiations between Hamas and Israel.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, when asked whether Israel's plan to fully occupy Gaza would be the right decision, said, "As President Trump has said, Israel has the right to decide what it needs to do for its own security."
Rubio identified three problems in Gaza: "humanitarian crisis, hostages, and Hamas's presence," stating that "peace is not possible as long as Hamas exists.
There will be no lasting peace. If Hamas continues to exist, everything will start over again."
The U.S. is ready to help resolve the much-discussed humanitarian crisis. Rubio reiterated but added, "But issues like hostages and disarming Hamas are not discussed enough. We must focus on both of these issues. So we must address all three, but we cannot forget the two besides humanitarian issues."
Rubio recalled that President Trump said all hostages must be freed, stating, "Five, seven, not all. All. Including dead hostages."
Trump avoided answering questions about Netanyahu's Gaza occupation plan during a White House event announcing Apple's new investment plans.
When asked, "You said you want to end wars in the Middle East; isn't Netanyahu's plan to occupy all of Gaza contrary to this? Are you giving it a green light?" Trump spoke about Iran instead.
The American president responded to the Gaza occupation plan question by saying, "We stopped the wars in the Middle East by preventing Iran from having nuclear weapons. They acknowledge this, too. If they start again, we'll go back. But we stopped many wars in the Middle East."
1 min read
The Israeli army resumed intense attacks on the Gaza Strip on the morning of March 18 after a cease-fire that came into effect on Jan. 19.
In Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, at least 61,158 Palestinian people have lost their lives, and 151,442 people have been wounded.
In Israel's attacks on Gaza since breaking the cease-fire on March 18, 9,654 people have died and 39,401 people have been wounded.
Since May 27, systematic attacks targeting Palestinians in distribution areas established under the guise of humanitarian aid by the Israeli-U.S.-guided "Gaza Humanitarian Aid Foundation" have resulted in 1,655 deaths and 11,800 wounded.
Netanyahu announced that they would fully occupy the Gaza Strip as the Israeli army began implementing an attack plan that would expand and make the occupation permanent in the Gaza Strip.
3 min read
