Netanyahu and cabinet ministers 'high on Trump': Axios
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One Israeli source tells Axios that Israeli ministers are behaving as if all their problems will be resolved because "Trump said something."
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US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive for a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, February 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP)
US President Donald Trump's public ultimatum to the Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas this week, as well as his shocking Gaza "takeover" proposal, have sent the Israeli cabinet into a frenzy of excitement and bewilderment all at once, Axios reported, citing Israeli officials.
With the Gaza ceasefire hanging by a thread, Trump has twice adopted significantly more aggressive public statements on Gaza than Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, complicating the latter's decision-making, the news website indicated.
According to one senior Israeli source, Netanyahu will find it difficult to soften his stance on Gaza concerns compared to Trump.
"The atmosphere among the ministers was that the Israeli government can't be less Trump than Trump on this," the source told Axios following Tuesday's Israeli security cabinet meeting.
However, in the long run, Netanyahu and his friends are coming to feel that Trump will help them obtain anything they want, with one senior Israeli official saying that the Israeli premier and his cabinet ministers "are high on Trump."
The report highlighted that more extremist members of Netanyahu's administration have been especially encouraged by Trump's comments, with some now believing that they no longer need to worry about withdrawing from the Gaza Strip or engaging in further discussions with Hamas.
"There was this feeling of intoxication in the room like all of our Gaza problems are now solved because Trump said something," the official revealed.
However, some Israeli officials are fearful that this excitement could lead to the breakdown of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which may happen as early as this weekend, leaving nine Israeli captives in Gaza, including one American, Axios noted.
If the ceasefire lasts long enough, around two dozen additional captives will be released in a second phase. Netanyahu informed Trump in the Oval Office last week that he wants to conduct real negotiations about the second phase, which still has to be discussed.
Trump warned he would "let all hell break loose" if Israeli captives being held in the Gaza Strip were not released by noon on Saturday.
Two Israeli officials divulged that during a security cabinet meeting, Netanyahu boasted about the enormous and unprecedented opportunity "Israel" now has in Gaza with Trump in the White House for another four years.
"Bibi said Israel is going to have full U.S. backing to destroy Hamas, do whatever it wants in Gaza," a senior Israeli official stated, adding that many ministers believe "Israel" must completely implement Trump's ultimatum as its new policy and give up the present framework of the captive agreement.
According to two Israeli officials, the heads of the Israeli negotiating team, including Shin Bet director Ronen Bar, pleaded with the ministers not to escalate the situation and to allow Qatari and Egyptian mediators to find a solution that would secure the release of the captives Saturday.
"Israel" has communicated to Egypt and Qatar that they must ensure Hamas adheres to the accord.
According to an Israeli security official, the chance of a captive release on Saturday "has significantly diminished."
"This is very worrying. We hope that the mediators will understand the situation and save the deal."
'Israel' to proceed with ceasefire if 3 captives released Sat: Axios
"Israel" has conveyed a message to Hamas through Egyptian and Qatari mediators, stating that the ongoing prisoner release-ceasefire agreement will continue if the Palestinian group releases three captives on Saturday, Axios also reported, citing a senior Israeli official.
On Tuesday, conflicting statements from Israeli officials and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu created uncertainty regarding the conditions for extending the ceasefire. Some statements indicated that Hamas must release "our hostages," while others specified "9 hostages" or even "all of them" for the truce to continue.
According to the Israeli Army Radio, Netanyahu and his security cabinet were uncertain about the precise meaning of US President Donald Trump's demand that Hamas release "all of the hostages" by Saturday at noon. As a result, a series of ambiguous messages were issued following a security cabinet meeting.
The cabinet was unable to determine whether Trump was referring to all 76 remaining captives in Gaza or just those scheduled for release in the initial phase of the agreement.
"We are in a situation where we can’t refuse to adopt [the positions of] Trump, and therefore the prime minister’s wording was convoluted," an Israeli minister told Army Radio anonymously.
