According to the U.S. news outlet Axios, the national security team of President Donald Trump is currently reassessing its Gaza strategy, which has failed to secure a ceasefire even after six months in office.
Citing unnamed senior officials, the report revealed that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has signalled a strategic shift in Washington’s approach to Gaza.
During a meeting held Friday with families of Israeli captives held in Gaza, Rubio stated:
“We need to seriously reconsider our Gaza strategy,”
adding that his team would soon present new policy options to President Trump.
Rubio also voiced dissatisfaction with the previous administration’s approach, criticising former President Joe Biden’s policy of short-term ceasefires in exchange for limited hostage releases. He stressed the need for a more sustainable resolution to the conflict.
Hamas Responds: Flexibility in Negotiations, Israel Withdraws
In contrast to claims made by Trump, senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad stated that the movement had shown flexibility and seriousness in the recent rounds of indirect negotiations with Israel. Hamas, he said, had provided a rational and constructive framework that closely aligned with the Witkoff Proposal—a plan mediated by international parties. According to Hamad, even the mediators acknowledged Hamas’s responsiveness and believed a breakthrough was within reach.
However, he said the Palestinian delegation was taken aback by the sudden withdrawal of the Israeli side and by what he described as unjustified remarks by President Trump, despite Hamas offering a comprehensive and realistic proposal that addressed vital issues such as humanitarian aid and post-agreement guarantees.
Trump Shifts Blame, Congress Applies Pressure
On the same day, President Trump claimed that the ceasefire negotiations failed because “Hamas withdrew from the talks”—a claim flatly contradicted by Hamas sources.
Meanwhile, six U.S. Congress members issued a joint statement urging the Trump administration to apply pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire deal and facilitate the release of captives. The statement described the humanitarian conditions in Gaza as “horrific and unacceptable.”
Netanyahu confirmed on Friday that Israel is now exploring alternatives with the United States for recovering captives and dismantling Hamas’s rule, echoing a similar statement made Thursday by U.S. Presidential Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff, who said:
“We are now considering alternative options for recovering the hostages.”
Netanyahu did not elaborate on what these “alternatives” might entail. However, both Israeli opposition voices and the families of captives insist that a negotiated deal with Hamas remains the only viable path for securing their return.
Hamas: Willing to Release Captives in Exchange for Ceasefire
Hamas has repeatedly affirmed its readiness to release all Israeli captives at once, provided that Israel agrees to end the genocide, withdraw its forces from Gaza, and stop its aggression.
The joint congressional statement also called for an end to the controversial “Humanitarian Gaza Foundation”, demanding either a complete overhaul or a shutdown. Instead, they urged a return to UN-led aid coordination mechanisms, with strict oversight to ensure aid reaches civilians in need.
Since 27 May 2025, Israel has implemented an alternative aid plan via the “Humanitarian Gaza Relief Foundation”, a body backed by Israel and the U.S. but rejected by the United Nations and other international agencies.
According to the Gaza Government Media Office, Israeli forces routinely open fire on Palestinians lining up at distribution points, leaving civilians to choose between starvation or being shot.
Gaza Genocide: Numbers and Context
Since 7 October 2023, Israel has waged a full-scale genocidal war on Gaza, involving mass killings, starvation, forced displacement, and large-scale destruction, in complete disregard for international appeals and multiple International Court of Justice rulings calling for a halt to the violence.
The genocide—carried out with direct American support—has resulted in:
- Over 204,000 Palestinians killed or wounded, the majority of them children and women
- More than 9,000 people missing, buried under rubble
- Hundreds of thousands displaced
- A widespread famine that has claimed countless lives
