Political activity in the Middle East has accelerated following the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Israel, just before his arrival in Qatar, the host of two emergency summits, one Gulf and one Arab-Islamic, held in response to Israeli aggression.
At the same time, the Israeli occupation army launched a large-scale operation in Gaza City, while the newspaper Israel Hayom reported that the sounds of massive explosions in Gaza could even be heard in Tel Aviv.
These developments confirm that Israel has received renewed U.S. backing to push forward with its military occupation of Gaza City. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes — is rushing the offensive to strengthen his negotiating position and impose Israel’s conditions on any potential settlement.
According to Israeli affairs expert Muhannad Mustafa, speaking on Al Jazeera’s Masar al-Ahdath program, Rubio reinforced this stance during his talks with Netanyahu, stressing two priorities: the return of Israeli captives and the elimination of Hamas’s influence in Gaza.
Washington’s Alignment with Netanyahu’s Conditions
This American position aligns with Netanyahu’s five conditions for ending the war on Gaza. His first pathway demands an agreement that fully meets Israel’s terms — complete disarmament of Hamas, the return of captives, Israeli security control, and the imposition of an alternative civilian authority in place of both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. In practice, this would amount to total Palestinian surrender and render negotiations meaningless.
If Hamas rejects this pathway, Netanyahu has outlined a second option: full military occupation of Gaza, which would mean direct Israeli military rule over the Strip.
The only real difference between Washington and Tel Aviv lies in timing, as the U.S. has not presented any clear vision for Gaza’s future. Netanyahu’s government, however, has succeeded in persuading the Biden administration to adopt much of Israel’s agenda regarding the Strip.
Mustafa emphasised that the war, since the summer of 2024, is driven by an ideological project within Israel under the slogan of achieving “absolute victory.” It is not, he argued, about the events of October 7, 2023, but rather about fulfilling long-term Zionist ambitions.
Forced Displacement and Escalating Attacks
Researcher Liqa Makki from Al Jazeera Centre for Studies noted that the intensity of Israel’s bombardment fits into a broader plan to occupy Gaza City and forcibly displace its residents. He stressed that Gaza has always been treated by Israel as a security problem, and that the Israeli leadership’s goal is to ensure that the Strip never again becomes a base for resistance factions.
As a result, the sound of bombs has drowned out diplomacy. Negotiations collapsed further after Israel targeted Hamas’s delegation in Doha, undermining Qatar’s ability to mediate. According to Makki, the Israeli strike on Doha was a wake-up call signalling that Tel Aviv intends to prioritise military escalation over dialogue.
Two Parallel Tracks of War
Political analyst Ahmad Ataouneh echoed Makki’s view, stressing that the U.S. agenda focuses narrowly on freeing captives, while failing to offer a comprehensive framework for ending the war. He explained that the conflict is moving along two parallel tracks that never meet:
- A military track enjoying U.S. support.
- A political-media track marked by propaganda, stalling tactics, and diversion — designed to create the conditions for Israel to claim a military “achievement.”
Under these conditions, Palestinians face an immense challenge as Washington continues to back Netanyahu’s extremist government in hopes of securing Israel’s war aims.
The West Bank in the Picture
Former U.S. State Department official Thomas Warrick suggested that Rubio and Netanyahu may have even discussed plans for annexing parts of the West Bank — though it remains unclear if Washington is ready to move beyond Gaza in its regional vision.
Warrick added that Washington’s declared goals include ending the war, weakening Hamas’s influence, releasing Israeli captives, and facilitating humanitarian aid. He claimed that the Israeli military does not seek to “occupy Gaza” but is merely carrying out the political orders of Netanyahu’s government, predicting that Tel Aviv will escalate its offensive even faster.
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