Trump bars Israel from punishing Hamas over ceasefire violations – report

Israeli plans to restore control over parts of Gaza as punishment for Hamas attacks reportedly shot down by Trump administration.

By World Israel News Staff

The Trump administration shot down an Israeli plan to punish Hamas over its repeated violations of the Gaza ceasefire by retaking parts of the Gaza Strip ceded by Israel at the beginning of the truce, an Israeli official said late Wednesday night.

On Tuesday, Hamas terrorists killed a 37-year-old IDF reservist in an attack on Israeli forces in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah – the latest in a string of actions by Hamas contravening the Trump administration’s Gaza peace plan.

Two IDF soldiers were killed in a Hamas missile attack the week before, while numerous other Hamas attacks have been reported across the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire went into effect earlier this month.

In addition, Hamas has failed to return all 48 of the hostages held at the outset of the truce, and has repeatedly misrepresented remains transferred to Israel; in one instance dressing up the body of a Palestinian man in an IDF uniform, and in another case handing over additional remains of a slain hostage, most of whose body was recovered by the IDF prior to the deal, while claiming the remains belonged to another hostage.

On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held deliberations with his defense chief and top security brass to weigh Israel’s response to Hamas’ actions, beyond the airstrikes conducted Tuesday and early Wednesday morning against Hamas positions in Gaza.

Ultimately, Netanyahu decided to expand IDF control in Gaza, redrawing the boundaries of the “Yellow Line” established at the beginning of the ceasefire agreement.

As part of the truce, Israeli forces withdrew from nearly a quarter of the Gaza Strip, but retained control over more than half of the coastal enclave.

According to a report by Channel 14, Netanyahu had decided to expand IDF control of Gaza from 53% of the Strip to 70%.

However, according to a report Tuesday night by Israel’s national broadcaster, Kan, US officials pressed their Israeli counterparts in talks Wednesday not to modify the Yellow Line, prompting Israel to drop its decision to seize Hamas-held territory.

“For the time being, we won’t be expanding the territory [under IDF control in Gaza], we are waiting with that,” an Israeli official was quoted in the report as saying.

In addition, US officials called on Israel to permit Hamas representatives to tour Israeli-held territory in Gaza to accompany search teams from the International Committee of the Red Cross involved in retrieving the remains of slain Israeli hostages.

An Israeli official speaking with Channel 14 downplayed American involvement in Israel’s reversal on the planned changes to the Yellow Line.

“The dynamic of our relations with this administration is constant dialogue.”

“We do not ask permission from the Americans, but at the same time we try not to operate unilaterally whenever possible.”