Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fighting a two-front battle for Gaza’s future. Diplomatically, he is moving to veto Turkey from the peace force, while on the ground, he confronts the “lingering challenge” of an armed Hamas that refuses to disarm.
On Sunday, Netanyahu declared his veto power, stating, “Israel will determine which forces are unacceptable to us.” He claimed US support for this, which Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed by saying the force must be “comfortable” for Israel.
The specific block on Turkey highlights the diplomatic fallout from the war. Rubio also affirmed that Hamas would be “exclu[ded]” from any future governance.
The fragile Trump-brokered truce is also being tested by violence. An Israeli strike on Nuseirat was condemned by Hamas as a “clear violation.”
Furthermore, a slow exchange of remains has drawn a public warning from Donald Trump, who is “watching very closely” to ensure Hamas complies.