JERUSALEM, Israel – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes the war in Gaza is entering a decisive stage. Although Israelis disagree about the way forward, the Israel Defense Forces called up 40,000 reservists to help capture Gaza City, as the U.S Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied visas for Palestinian officials.
At a reportedly contentious Security Cabinet meeting, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir warned that the takeover of Gaza City would lead to a military government. Netanyahu explained that he opposes a partial hostage deal and a 60-day ceasefire with Hamas because it would take six months to return to today’s front lines in the face of political pressure and heavy costs.
Netanyahu is quoted as saying President Trump cautioned, “Forget the partial deals…go in with full force and finish this.”
Trump told The Daily Caller that Israel is losing support on Capitol Hill the longer the war goes on.
As to the future of Gaza, The Washington Post reports that the Trump administration has a post-war plan to make the Gaza Strip a ten-year U.S. trusteeship and develop it into a tourist resort and manufacturing technology hub.
Gaza’s two million citizens would be temporarily relocated to another country or into secure zones during reconstruction. Each Gaza resident who chooses to leave would receive a one-time payment, as well as subsidies for housing and food.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio dropped a diplomatic bombshell on Friday by denying visas for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other P.A. officials.
The decision upsets the plans of four countries that planned to declare a Palestinian state later this month in the United Nations General Assembly.
Abbas had planned to attend a summit hosted by Saudi Arabia and France during which the U.K., France, Australia, and Canada planned to formally recognize a Palestinian state. The State Department warned that it would be a major propaganda victory for Hamas.
The State Department decision said, in part, “Protecting U.S. national security requires holding the P.L.O. accountable for violating their commitments and obstructing the prospects for peace.”
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On the war front, the IDF confirmed that it took out Hamas propaganda chief “Abu Obaidah” on Saturday.
Abu Obaidah produced many of the psychological terror videos showing kidnapped Israelis, and he spread footage of Hamas atrocities on October 7th, 2023.
The IDF released a video this weekend showing how it has eliminated nearly all of the Hamas leadership.
In Yemen, thousands of Houthis gathered to mourn their prime minister and nearly all government ministers who were killed in an Israeli air strike last Thursday.
Israel targeted the Houthi leadership after they launched a ballistic missile with a cluster bomb. This, after a months-long campaign of missile and UAV strikes that sent millions of Israelis into bomb shelters.
The acting Houthi Prime Minister, Mohamed Muftah, declared, “As the head of the Supreme Emergency Committee, I assure you that the supply situation is excellent, the flow of goods is excellent, the enemy has failed, and the armed forces (Yemeni) are striking the (Israeli) enemy.”
In Israel’s Security Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu called attention to Israel’s strikes on Iran in June and the attacks on Tehran’s proxies. He referred to Iran as “The head of the snake.”
“Since then, we have been systematically striking the remnants of the axis, day after day, arena after arena,” Netanyahu stated. “Together, we will continue to do it on all fronts, and with God’s help – together we will continue to win.”
