The Donald Trump-brokered ceasefire is in peril following an Israeli strike on the Nuseirat refugee camp, an act Hamas condemned as a “clear violation.” The strike, which the Israeli military said targeted Islamic Jihad militants, is the second in a week, casting doubt on the stability of the truce.
Amid this volatility, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is making bold claims about Gaza’s future. On Sunday, he declared that Israel will have veto power over the international peacekeeping force, stating, “Israel will determine which forces are unacceptable to us.”
Netanyahu has already used this stance to signal opposition to Turkey’s participation, a reflection of wartime diplomatic fallout. The US, while not sending its own troops, supports Israel’s demand. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the force must be composed of “countries that Israel’s comfortable with.”
Rubio also reiterated that Hamas will be excluded from any future governance. Discussions are ongoing to authorize this force, with potential contributions from Egypt, Indonesia, and Gulf Arab states.
The truce is also challenged by a lagging exchange of remains. Israel has returned 195 Palestinian bodies for 18 hostage remains, a disparity that prompted Donald Trump to publicly warn Hamas to “return more bodies now.”