Netanyahu says Turkey, Qatar will have no presence in Gaza, raises objections with Secretary of State Rubio

The White House said over the weekend that Turkey and Qatar would be members of the Gaza Executive Board, a body expected to play a central role in overseeing postwar arrangements in the enclave.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Israel has protested the inclusion of Turkey and Qatar in a US-backed postwar Gaza framework, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raising the issue directly in a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and vowing publicly that neither country will deploy forces in the Strip.

According to Channel 12, Netanyahu spoke with Rubio only hours after instructing Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar to formally convey Israel’s objections to Washington over the makeup of the Gaza Executive Board.

During the call, Netanyahu stressed Israel’s opposition to Qatar and Turkey’s inclusion and said Jerusalem was taken by surprise by the US announcement detailing the board’s composition.

Israeli sources told the network that Netanyahu understands the decision is unlikely to be reversed now that it has been announced by President Donald Trump.

The White House said over the weekend that Turkey and Qatar would be members of the Gaza Executive Board, a body expected to play a central role in overseeing postwar arrangements in the enclave.

Israeli officials have emphasized that the announcement does not change Israel’s security red lines.

Addressing the Knesset plenum, Netanyahu sought to draw a distinction between political involvement and military presence.

He said that under phase two of the Gaza peace plan, “Turkish and Qatari soldiers will not be in the Strip.”

He described an ongoing disagreement with Washington over “the makeup of the council of advisers that will accompany the processes in Gaza,” indicating that Israel views the roles of Ankara and Doha as limited.

Netanyahu told lawmakers that Qatar and Turkey are “barely members of an advisory committee of one of the three commissions,” adding that they hold no authority, no real influence, and no forces on the ground.

He said Israel is prepared to confront the United States when disputes touch on core national interests, while insisting that such disagreements do not damage ties with Trump, whom he again described as Israel’s strongest ally in the White House.

Turning to the battlefield, Netanyahu said the Israel Defense Forces currently control 53% of Gaza “from a position of strength.” He defined the next stage of the plan as the disarmament of Hamas and the full demilitarization of the territory, pledging that these objectives would be met “either the easy way, or the hard way.”

He also briefly addressed the issue of the last slain hostage, Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, saying the recovery of his body remains a top priority and adding that discretion serves that effort best.