Trump told Netanyahu he wants ceasefire in Gaza by the time he wins
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According to the former US official, Trump's pitch to Netanyahu was not explicit, and he may perhaps support "residual" IOF activities in Gaza as long as the war has formally ended.
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President Donald Trump talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a ceremony in May 23, 2017. (AP)
Two informed sources familiar have divulged that former US President Donald Trump has informed Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that if he wins the election, he wants "Israel" to end the war on Gaza by the time he enters office.
Trump originally spoke to Netanyahu when he visited his Florida Mar-a-Lago club, according to a former Trump administration official and an Israeli official.
While Trump has publicly stated that he informed Netanyahu that he wants "Israel" to win the war soon, sources speaking with Israeli media say the deadline is linked to that desire.
According to the former US official, Trump's pitch to Netanyahu was not explicit, and he may perhaps support "residual" IOF activities in Gaza as long as it has formally ended.
Netanyahu has long stated that "Israel" plans to maintain overarching security control of Gaza in the 'day after', and other Israeli officials have spoken of the IOF maintaining a buffer zone inside the Strip while periodically re-occupying the area.
A leaked audio revealed the Israeli PM telling Likud members he was unwilling to give in to Hamas' demands of ending the war in exchange for the Israeli captives.
Trump has recently signaled that he would offer "Israel" more leeway in its war, blasting US President Joe Biden for attempting to limit the occupation's response to Iran's Operation True Promise 2.
The former US official stressed that the pre-inauguration day win that Trump wants "Israel" to achieve in Gaza involves the release of the captives, threatening at the Republican National Convention in July that anybody holding American captives abroad would "pay a very big price."
Israeli officials concerned of Trump's demands to end aggression
Earlier this month, two top Israeli officials told Israeli media that they were concerned by Trump's repeated demands to end the aggression, believing that failure to do so may lead to a clash if the former US president wins next week's election and returns.
“There are internal political constraints to ending the war quickly,” one of the Israeli officials said.
A politician from the opposition, commenting on condition of anonymity, conceded that dragging out the war beyond the January 20 inauguration would also sour ties with Vice President Kamala if she wins.
The MK explained that “Netanyahu has managed clashes with Democratic presidents without paying a heavy price. In fact, he campaigns on his ability to stand up to them," adding that a fight with Trump is something "he'd want to avoid, but [Finance Minister Bezalel] Smotrich and [Police Minister Itamar] Ben-Gvir may not let him."
Netanyahu 'buying time' with Gaza deal negotiations: Hamas official
In any negotiations, Hamas' goal is to stop the war on the Gaza Strip while "Israel" merely seeks a prisoner exchange, Taher al-Nounou, a senior official in the movement, said on Wednesday.
Al-Nounou told Al Mayadeen that any potential agreement must include a permanent ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, reconstruction of the Strip, an end to the blockade, and a captive-prisoner exchange.
According to the official, prioritizing a prisoner exchange alone would not necessarily lead to a lasting ceasefire.
The Palestinian official argued that current discussions regarding a deal are merely a waste of time, under the guise of negotiations in preparation for the coming US elections.
Al-Nounou said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's aim with these proposals is to "buy time", which he sees as "part of a local or US election campaign."
"We have no veto on listening to mediators if they have any proposals," the Hamas official reiterated but underlined that the movement had made it clear that it opposes a temporary pause of hostilities and the resumption of the Israeli aggression on Gaza.
Expressing openness to offers is distinct from agreeing to them, the Palestinian official clarified, particularly "if they fail to meet the resistance's four core demands."
"If we are invited to hear new proposals, we will certainly attend," he affirmed.
