Washington DC: US President Donald Trump has signaled tacit approval for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to take over the Gaza Strip, framing it as an Israeli decision despite mounting international criticism, The Hill reported.
While pledging U.S. leadership in humanitarian aid amid Gaza’s worsening crisis, Trump stopped short of opposing Israel’s military expansion. “As far as the rest of it, I really can’t say. That’s going to be pretty much up to Israel,” he said earlier this week.
Netanyahu’s move, approved by Israel’s security Cabinet, has deepened domestic divisions and further isolated Israel from European, Arab, and Gulf allies. Germany announced a halt on military exports to Israel for use in Gaza, joining France, Canada, and the United Kingdom — which has called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting.
US Vice President JD Vance, after meeting British Foreign Minister David Lammy, acknowledged differences in approach but stressed shared aims. “There’s a lot of common objectives here. There is some, I think, disagreement about how exactly to accomplish those common objectives,” he said.
Defending the plan, Netanyahu said, “We are not going to occupy Gaza — we are going to free Gaza from Hamas.” He vowed to create a peaceful civilian administration free of both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority to secure the release of hostages and prevent future threats.
But Israel’s military chief, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, cautioned the Cabinet that an occupation could jeopardize hostages and bog down troops, even as he committed to executing the mission “in the best possible way.”
Public opinion in Israel is sharply divided. Opposition leader Yair Lapid called the decision a “total disaster,” doubting it would end Hamas’s rule or bring hostages home.
In Washington, bipartisan support for Israel remains, but growing unease over Netanyahu’s war strategy and Gaza’s humanitarian toll has shifted public sentiment. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene labeled the conflict a “genocide,” while Sen. Bernie Sanders has rallied support to block arms sales to Israel.
Saudi Arabia condemned Netanyahu’s takeover plan, accusing Israel of “crimes of starvation, brutal practices, and ethnic cleansing” against Palestinians.
Mediators from Egypt and Qatar, working with the US, are reportedly drafting a cease-fire framework that would see hostages freed in exchange for an end to the war and Israeli withdrawal, The Associated Press reported.
Will Todman, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, warned of the dangers of a prolonged occupation without a clear exit strategy. “Unless the United States changes its stance, I think ultimately, Israel will continue with this plan,” he said.
