A reported rift between Trump and Netanyahu continues to widen ahead of the US president's first visit to West Asia since regaining power.
Originally published in The Cradle.
The US government has dropped its demand for Hamas to disarm as a precondition for a ceasefire in Gaza, Egyptian sources revealed to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
“US negotiators conveyed to Egyptian intermediaries that the issue of Hamas's disarmament could be addressed at a later stage, rather than being an immediate requirement for a ceasefire agreement,” the Qatari-owned news outlet reports.
The unnamed source added that US President Donald Trump's “inner circle” is convinced of the “futility” of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strategy to free the captives via military pressure, believing that no military option will help save the Israeli captives in Gaza.
Furthermore, US planners are reportedly aware of the “impracticality of forcibly exiling leaders and fighters from the armed wings of Hamas” and other Palestinian resistance factions due to “concerns from potential host countries and the large number of individuals Israel seeks to remove," which number in the thousands.
The Egyptian source reported a “sense of optimism” among negotiators regarding the possibility of reaching a comprehensive solution in the near future, especially given Hamas's readiness to release all Israeli detainees in Gaza simultaneously and the potential for an acceptable framework controlling the resistance's weapons and the movement post-agreement.
Washington's sudden shift follows reports in Hebrew media indicating that Trump has “lost patience” with Netanyahu and will not wait any longer for Israel before advancing US initiatives in West Asia.
Trump this week surprised his allies in Tel Aviv by announcing an end to the illegal war in Yemen as part of a ceasefire deal that excluded Israel. Moreover, Reuters reported on Thursday that the US president is no longer demanding that Saudi Arabia normalize ties with Israel as a condition before nuclear cooperation talks can proceed.
Trump is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar next week. As of press time, this trip does not include a stop in Israel.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday canceled his planned trip to Israel, which was set for Monday, to accompany President Trump on Air Force One for his trip to the Persian Gulf.
Despite the apparent cold shoulder from the White House, Israeli leaders say they are moving ahead with a large-scale military operation to “conquer” Gaza if no progress is made before Trump's upcoming tour.
