Netanyahu’s Gaza double game: Back Trump, reassure Israel’s right
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to both give the impression that Israel retains total freedom of action in Gaza while allowing the Board of Peace to move ahead with President Donald Trump’s peace plan.
TEL AVIV — Since US President Donald Trump announced the beginning of the implementation of the Gaza peace plan on July 31, some senior members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government have been demanding that Israel reject it until it is amended to include new security demands.
Their demand puts Netanyahu in a dilemma: He has to satisfy his political base ahead of his toughest-ever re-election bid while avoiding angering Trump.
Trump first announced his 20-point Gaza peace plan in October 2025, but talks on its implementation stalled. The plan includes the disarmament of Hamas, Israeli military withdrawal from the enclave before it comes under the control of an international force and a technocrat body taking over the administration of the Strip. However, Hamas has pushed back against disarming and Israel refused to withdraw until the process is completed.
However, in a significant development last week, Trump revealed a phased agreement under which Hamas would disarm and Israeli forces would withdraw from the Strip. In a post on Truth Social, he added that the international stabilization force will work with a new Palestinian police force to ensure Gaza's safety.
