New US-Israel plan would let Israel control 75% of Gaza

As Trump and Netanyahu prepare for talks aimed at finding a way to move forward with the Gaza plan despite Hamas refusal to disarm, US and Israel reportedly mulling expansion of IDF control over Gaza.

By World Israel News Staff

The United States and Israel are mulling a plan to expand Israeli control over the Gaza Strip, placing three-quarters of the coastal enclave in the IDF-secured side of the Yellow Line, according to a report by the Hebrew daily Ma’ariv.

On Sunday, the paper published a report citing unnamed sources who claimed that ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with President Donald Trump on Monday, the two sides are already converging on an alternative pathway to implementing the second phase of the president’s Gaza peace plan.

While Hamas has yet to return the remains of the last hostage held in Gaza – Ran Gvili – the White House is anxiously seeking to move forward with its 20-point plan for Gaza, including the deployment of an international stabilization force (ISF), the reconstruction of the war-torn Gaza Strip, and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces.

However, phase two is also contingent on the disarming of Hamas and demilitarization of the Gaza Strip.

Thus far, senior Hamas officials have refused to surrender their weapons, raising concerns among possible donor states to the ISF that their soldiers could be placed into a combat position against the Islamic terror group in Gaza.

Netanyahu, who departed for Florida Sunday morning, is expected to discuss the issue with Trump, laying down Israel’s red lines while also attempting to steer the president’s plan in a direction which will enable Israel to retain freedom of action against Hamas.

With senior administration officials, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, pushing for a pilot program to initiate “Project Sunrise” – a plan to rebuild Gaza as a luxury destination – the Trump White House has reportedly pressed Israel to allow for reconstruction to begin even without demilitarization.

While Israel has insisted that areas under Hamas control not be rebuilt, Jerusalem has not rejected American plans to begin small-scale rebuilding operations on the Israeli side of the Yellow Line, under IDF control.

According to the sources cited by Ma’ariv, the US and Israel are now in talks regarding a plan which would more aggressively promote reconstruction, while at the same time deepening Israel’s control of Gaza.

The plan being discussed would see large-scale reconstruction of civilian infrastructure inside IDF-secured parts of Gaza, with Israel given the green light to gradually expand its presence in Gaza from 53% currently to 75%.

This approach would serve multiple goals, including enabling the US to move forward with reconstruction operations spanning a large area, while putting pressure on Hamas, separating civilians from Hamas and other terror groups, and enabling the US to establish alternative aid routes to Gaza civilians, thus preventing Hamas from using international aid to its advantage.

The report comes amid claims by Hamas that Israel has already moved the yellow markers which delineate the Yellow Line, effectively taking control over additional territory in Gaza.

On Sunday, the IDF denied the claims, calling them “inaccurate.”