The President of the United States, Donald Trump , held a telephone conversation this Sunday with the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu , to discuss the new offensive that the Israeli Army will begin to take the city of Gaza and the displaced persons camps on the central coast of the enclave.
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has now spoken with US President Donald Trump,” the prime minister’s office reported after a press conference with international media, in which he staunchly defended his strategy despite the reluctance of his own army and fears of an escalating humanitarian catastrophe affecting the population.
In the conversation, “both discussed Israel’s plans to take control of Hamas’s remaining strongholds in Gaza to end the war through the release of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas.”
Netanyahu also “ thanked Trump for his strong support for Israel since the beginning of the war,” the statement concluded.
Last Sunday, Trump rejected calling the Israeli army's actions in the Gaza Strip genocide and left any decisions regarding strategy in the enclave virtually up to Netanyahu.
His priority as US president, he stated at the time, is to facilitate the delivery of aid through the distribution centers of the Humanitarian Fund for Gaza.
"We want Israel to feed these people. We're making considerable contributions, basically to buy food and feed people. We don't want people to go hungry or starve to death," he said at the time.
Israel's goal "is not to occupy Gaza"
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel is not seeking to occupy the Gaza Strip but to establish a civil administration that is not linked to Hamas militants or the Palestinian Authority. At a press conference in Jerusalem with foreign media, he laid out his plan for the “day after” Hamas and defended the ongoing military offensive, which includes the seizure of Gaza City, despite international criticism, including from Western allies.
Netanyahu explained that Israel already controls between 70 and 75 percent of the Strip, but that two strongholds of Hamas militants remain: Gaza City and the central camps and moasis. He said the goal is to liberate Gaza from Hamas militants, demilitarize the territory, and ensure absolute Israeli control of security, accompanied by a security zone along the border to prevent incursions.
“Our goal is not to occupy Gaza. Our goal is to liberate Gaza, to liberate it from the Hamas terrorists,” he declared. He added that the Palestinian Authority is not an acceptable option for the post-war administration, accusing it of promoting terrorist activities against Israel.
Israel urged to reverse its Gaza plan
Meanwhile, the urgent call by five European countries of the UN Security Council for Israel to reverse its plan to occupy Gaza has intensified tensions in the region. The United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Greece and Slovenia warned that Israeli military expansion could violate international law and worsen the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave, according to a joint statement issued after an extraordinary meeting held on Sunday.
European representatives condemned the Netanyahu government's decision to expand its military operations in Gaza.
Slovenia’s representative to the Security Council, Samuel Zbogar, stated: “This plan would violate international humanitarian law. We call on Israel to urgently reverse this decision and not implement it, and reiterate that any attempt at annexation or expansion of the occupation violates international law.”
The European countries underscored the risks the offensive poses to the lives of Israeli civilians and hostages, noting that the measure would not contribute to the return of the hostages but could instead put them in greater danger. They also warned that the Israeli decision"will worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and threatens further deaths and mass displacement of Palestinian civilians."
The Israeli military plan, approved last Friday by the Security Cabinet, contemplates the occupation of Gaza City and the central camps, considered the last strongholds of the Hamas terrorist group in the Strip. The strategy, promoted by Prime Minister Netanyahu, seeks to"dismantle" the presence of the Palestinian extremist movement in these areas, as endorsed by the Israeli authorities. The decision comes amid growing international pressure.
