Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday signaled that he was moving ahead with U.S. President Donald Trump91裸聊视频檚 proposal to transfer the Palestinian population out of Gaza, calling it 91裸聊视频渢he only viable plan to enable a different future91裸聊视频� for the region.
Netanyahu discussed the plan with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who kicked off a Middle East visit by endorsing Israel91裸聊视频檚 war aims in Gaza, saying Hamas 91裸聊视频渕ust be eradicated.91裸聊视频� That created further doubt around the as talks on its second phase are yet to begin.
Rubio, in his upcoming stops in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, is likely to face more over Trump91裸聊视频檚 proposal, which includes redeveloping Gaza under U.S. ownership. Netanyahu has said all emigration from Gaza should be 91裸聊视频渧oluntary,91裸聊视频� but rights groups and other critics say that the plan amounts to coercion given the territory91裸聊视频檚 vast destruction.
Netanyahu said he and Trump have a 91裸聊视频渃ommon strategy91裸聊视频� for Gaza. Echoing Trump, he said 91裸聊视频渢he gates of hell would be open91裸聊视频� if Hamas doesn91裸聊视频檛 release dozens of remaining hostages abducted in the militant group91裸聊视频檚 attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that triggered the 16-month war.
The ceasefire91裸聊视频檚 first phase ends in two weeks. Negotiations were meant to begin two weeks ago on the , in which Hamas would release dozens of remaining hostages in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces
Trump91裸聊视频檚 special Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, told Fox News that 91裸聊视频減hase two is absolutely going to begin91裸聊视频� and he had 91裸聊视频漹ery productive91裸聊视频� calls Sunday with Netanyahu and officials from Egypt and Qatar, which serve as mediators, about continuing talks this week. He also said hostages to be released include 19 Israeli soldiers and 91裸聊视频渨e believe all of them are alive.91裸聊视频�
Netanyahu91裸聊视频檚 office said Israel91裸聊视频檚 security Cabinet would meet Monday to discuss the second phase.
Trump later told journalists it is 91裸聊视频渦p to Israel what the next step is, in consultation with me.91裸聊视频�
In another sign of closing ranks, Israel91裸聊视频檚 Defense Ministry said it received a shipment of 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) MK-84 munitions from the United States. The Biden administration of such bombs last year over concerns about civilian casualties in Gaza.
Resuming the war could doom hostages
This week marks 500 days of the war. Netanyahu has signaled readiness to resume the fighting after the ceasefire91裸聊视频檚 current phase, though it could be a death sentence for remaining hostages.
Rubio said peace becomes impossible as long as Hamas 91裸聊视频渟tands as a force that can govern or as a force that can administer or as a force that can threaten by use of violence,91裸聊视频� adding, 91裸聊视频淚t must be eradicated.91裸聊视频�
Hamas when the ceasefire began last month, despite suffering heavy losses.
Netanyahu has offered Hamas a chance to surrender and send top leaders into exile. Hamas has rejected that scenario and insists on Palestinian rule. Spokesman Abdul Latif al-Qanou told The Associated Press the group accepts a Palestinian unity government or a technocratic committee to run Gaza.
Netanyahu instructed negotiators to leave for Cairo on Monday to discuss further implementation of the ceasefire91裸聊视频檚 first phase, as issues over delivery of shelter materials continue.
The Israeli military, meanwhile, said it carried out an airstrike on people who approached forces in southern Gaza. The Hamas-run Interior Ministry said it killed three of its police officers while they secured the entry of aid trucks near Rafah on the Egyptian border.
91裸聊视频業f someone has a better plan 91裸聊视频� that91裸聊视频檚 great91裸聊视频�
In an interview last week, Rubio indicated that Trump91裸聊视频檚 Gaza proposal was in part aimed at pressuring Arab states to make their own postwar plan that would be acceptable to Israel.
Rubio also appeared to suggest that Arab countries send troops to combat Hamas.
91裸聊视频淚f the Arab countries have a better plan, then that91裸聊视频檚 great,91裸聊视频� Rubio said Thursday on the 91裸聊视频淐lay and Buck Show.91裸聊视频�
But 91裸聊视频淗amas has guns,91裸聊视频� he added. 91裸聊视频淪omeone has to confront those guys. It91裸聊视频檚 not going to be American soldiers. And if the countries in the region can91裸聊视频檛 figure that piece out, then Israel is going to have to do it.91裸聊视频�
Rubio wasn91裸聊视频檛 scheduled to meet with Palestinians on his trip.
Arabs have limited options
For Arab leaders, facilitating the mass expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza or battling Palestinian militants on behalf of Israel are nightmare scenarios that would bring fierce domestic criticism and potentially destabilize an already volatile region.
Egypt hosts and is working with other countries on a counterproposal that would allow for Gaza91裸聊视频檚 rebuilding without removing its population. Human rights groups say the expulsion of Palestinians .
Egypt has warned that any mass influx of Palestinians from Gaza would undermine its nearly half-century peace treaty with Israel, a cornerstone of U.S. influence in the region.
The UAE and Saudi Arabia also have rejected any mass displacement of Palestinians.
The UAE was the driving force behind the 2020 Abraham Accords in which four Arab states 91裸聊视频� Bahrain, the UAE, Morocco and Sudan 91裸聊视频� normalized relations with Israel during Trump91裸聊视频檚 previous term. Trump hopes to expand the accords to include Saudi Arabia, potentially offering closer U.S. defense ties, but the kingdom has said it won91裸聊视频檛 normalize relations with Israel without a pathway to a Palestinian state.
Rubio won91裸聊视频檛 be visiting Egypt or Jordan, close U.S. allies at peace with Israel that any influx of Palestinian refugees. Trump has suggested he might slash U.S. aid if they don91裸聊视频檛 comply, which could be devastating for their economies.
Rubio is also skipping Qatar.
Arab and Muslim countries have conditioned any support for postwar Gaza on a return to Palestinian governance with a pathway to statehood in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories that Israel seized in the 1967 Mideast war.
Israel has ruled out a Palestinian state and any role in Gaza for the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, whose forces were driven out when Hamas seized power there in 2007.
