The fragile truce in Gaza, brokered by Donald Trump, was tested again this weekend by an Israeli strike on the Nuseirat refugee camp. Hamas condemned the strike, the second in a week, as a “clear violation” and an attempt to sabotage the peace. Israel claimed it targeted militants.
This military action comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is making strong demands about Gaza’s future. He declared on Sunday that Israel will have complete veto power over the international peacekeeping force.
“Israel will determine which forces are unacceptable to us,” Netanyahu stated, a position he says the US has accepted. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in Israel, confirmed the force must be “comfortable” for Israel.
Netanyahu has already signaled this veto would be used to block Turkish troops. Rubio also reiterated that Hamas would be excluded from any future governance structure.
The ceasefire is also strained by the slow exchange of remains. Israel has returned 195 Palestinian bodies for 18 Israeli hostage remains. Donald Trump warned Hamas to “return more bodies now,” though the group says recovery is difficult.
