Israel Objects To U.S. Announcement Of Leaders Who Will Help Oversee Next Steps In Gaza
NAHARIYA, Israel (AP) — The Israeli government objects to the proposal White House announcement related to leaders who will play a role to check the next steps Gaza As the ceasefire progresses tough second stage.
In Israel’s rare criticism of its close ally in Washington, the Gaza executive committee was “not coordinated with Israel and is contrary to its policy,” it said, without elaborating. Saturday’s statement also said: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu He told him to contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
There is no Israeli official in the committee announced by the White House on Friday, but there is Israeli businessman billionaire Yakir Gabay. Other members announced so far include two of US President Donald Trump’s closest confidants, a former British prime minister, a US general and representatives of several Middle Eastern governments.
The White House said the executive committee will implement the vision of a Trump-led “Peace Board” whose members have not yet been determined. The White House also announced members of a new Palestinian committee that will handle day-to-day affairs in Gaza under the oversight of the executive committee.
Executive committee members include Rubio, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga and Trump’s Deputy National Security Advisor Robert Gabriel.
Committee members include a diplomat from Qatar, an intelligence chief from Egypt and Türkiye’s foreign minister, who is a ceasefire mediator for all countries, as well as a Cabinet minister from the United Arab Emirates.
Türkiye has a tense relationship with Israel but good relations with Hamas and could play an important role in persuading the group to surrender power and disarm. Hamas has said it will disband its government in Gaza once the new Palestinian committee takes office, but has shown no signs of disbanding its military wing or security forces.
Netanyahu’s office did not respond to questions on Saturday about the executive committee objections.
Minutes after the announcement, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir issued a statement backing Netanyahu and urging him to order the army to prepare to return to war. Another far-right ally of Netanyahu, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, said on social media that “the countries that keep Hamas alive cannot be the countries that will replace it.”
Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Gaza’s second-largest militant group after Hamas, also expressed dissatisfaction with the makeup of the Gaza executive committee in a statement on Saturday, claiming it reflected Israel’s “characteristics”.
Trump administration on Wednesday He said that the ceasefire plan prepared by the USA for Gaza has entered its second phase, which includes the establishment of the new Palestinian committee in Gaza, the deployment of the international security force, the disarmament of Hamas and the reconstruction of the war-torn region.
The ceasefire in the deadliest war ever between Israel and Hamas came into effect on October 10. In the first phase, the focus was on the return of all remaining hostages, increasing humanitarian aid and the partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
The war began with the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking more than 250 people hostage. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 71,400 Palestinians, including more than 460 since the ceasefire began.
The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are generally considered reliable by UN agencies and independent experts.
Associated Press writer Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut contributed.
