Strong-Armed by Trump, Netanyahu Embraces Gaza Deal as a Personal Win
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel took credit for an emerging agreement, but it was clear that President Trump was calling the shots.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel took credit for an emerging agreement, but it was clear that President Trump was calling the shots.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said talks on a U.S. plan to end the Gaza war are focused now on hostages, with other difficult issues to be left for later, he said.
The longest war of an endless Israeli-Palestinian conflict has come to challenge Israel’s own image and understanding of itself.
Along with optimism that President Trump can lock Israel and Hamas into a deal, many expressed anxiety about being disappointed once more.
In a speech that lasted just minutes, the Israeli prime minister boasted that he had defied his critics to secure the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza.
The Israeli leader thought he had a plan from the U.S. president that would have represented total victory over Hamas. Suddenly, it looks as though he might not get everything he wants.
Both sides have reacted positively to a United States proposal for a cease-fire, but many details remain to be ironed out, including whether Hamas will disarm.
Hamas’s statement inspired optimism for an end to the war, but did not address several elements of the plan that it has deemed unacceptable.
Israel and Hamas said they will work with President Trump’s proposal to end the Gaza war. But persistent sticking points could derail a diplomatic breakthrough.
The militant group responded to a proposal by President Trump to end the war in Gaza.