Tensions continue to mount in the Gaza Strip, as Israeli political and military leaders debate new steps amid accusations against Hamas of delaying the return of the bodies of Israeli captives killed in the war. At the same time, U.S. officials are intensifying pressure to deploy an international force inside Gaza — a proposal that Tel Aviv is using to expand its own military agenda.
Israel Rejects Turkish and Qatari Role, Eyes New Military Moves
According to Israeli reports, the occupation government has firmly rejected any participation by Turkish or Qatari forces in a potential multinational mission, describing such involvement as a “red line.” Instead, Israeli leaders are reportedly exploring a return to targeted assassinations and renewed large-scale military exercises within the Strip.
The Israeli news outlet Walla reported that the first phase of a plan to replace Hamas with a multinational governing authority has been postponed, pending a mutual understanding between Israel and the United States. Senior American officials in Tel Aviv — including U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Kain — are said to be actively influencing Israeli decision-making on all matters related to Gaza.
U.S.-Backed Plan for Post-Hamas Control
Sources in Israel’s military establishment acknowledged that despite the creation of a new “coordination mechanism” in the settlement of Kiryat Gat, American officials understand that without Israel’s direct military involvement — and its detailed familiarity with Gaza’s geography — any foreign plan to “control” the enclave would fail.
The proposed U.S.-Israeli plan envisions deploying multinational troops to administer Gaza under the supervision of a technocratic government that would replace Hamas. The initial phase includes disarming Palestinian factions, followed by a reconstruction process once Israel’s security terms are met.
Redrawing Gaza’s Borders and Expanding Control
Walla’s report added that Israel’s current Gaza policy — under Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government — aims to maintain a long-term military presence in areas it already occupies between the so-called “yellow line” and the Strip’s perimeter.
Plans include physically marking borders with signs and concrete barriers, and cleansing the area of resistance fighters and underground infrastructure.
In recent days, Israeli political and military leaders reportedly held high-level consultations to outline new operations against Hamas, accusing the movement of intentionally delaying the return of captives’ remains.
Three Scenarios on the Table
According to the same report, three main courses of action are being considered by Israel’s war cabinet:
- Reducing humanitarian aid entering Gaza,
- Expanding territorial control over more than 54% of the enclave’s total area,
- Resuming targeted assassinations of resistance leaders — despite U.S. reservations about measures that could further restrict humanitarian relief.
Preparations for a Renewed Ground Invasion
Israeli military and intelligence assessments indicate that the government is close to authorising the resumption of targeted assassinations, to be followed by a new ground manoeuvre aimed at seizing additional territory inside Gaza.
Analysts warn that such a move would mark a dangerous escalation, likely to prolong the war and deepen the humanitarian catastrophe for Gaza’s besieged population.
Meanwhile, Washington’s call for an international stabilisation force — under conditions that exclude Muslim-majority countries such as Turkey and Qatar — underscores the double standard that continues to shape Western engagement with the Palestinian question.
