Netanyahu believes he must escalate the war to avoid his own cold reckoning – so Israel will try to occupy Gaza next Sam Kiley Fri, 8 August 2025 When is an occupation not an occupation? When Benjamin Netanyahu orders it. Netanyahu has agreed with his cabinet to send the Israel Defence Force into a full-scale operation against Hamas in Gaza City that he wants to lead to taking over the whole enclave – but not actually occupying it. What happens next is an obvious question and it will be a long wait for the answer – Israel doesn’t even admit it’s an occupation force on the West Bank, which it captured in 1967. The immediate Israeli objection to a new campaign in Gaza is that it will risk the lives of the hostages that remain held there. Palestinians rush to collect humanitarian aid airdropped by parachutes into Gaza City (AP) While Israel’s prime minister met with his cabinet in Jerusalem, protestors outside condemned his plans to send the Israel Defence Force to take over the whole enclave. They demanded an end to two years of war. They want a deal with Hamas that will see the hostages released. Ilana Gritzewsky, who was held hostage and later released, accused the government of turning its back on the captives. “They decided to sacrifice Matan, my friends, all the hostages. They lied to us. In Nir Oz, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to bring everyone home. Now he’s pushing for full occupation, knowing it will lead to their deaths,” Israeli media Ynet reported. “I’m proof hostages come back through deals. There’s no other way,” she told Ynet. Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip at a demonstration in Tel Aviv (AP) More than 80 per cent of Gaza has been destroyed, its population is starving, and its former rulers, Hamas, reduced to a subterranean rump of extremists holding about 20 living hostages. One day Netanyahu has said he hopes that role will fall to an unknown “Arab” administration . His cabinet has ruled out handing it over to the Palestinian Authority, which runs most of the Palestinian cities on the Israeli occupied West Bank. In the meantime, Netanyahu believes he can keep the region boiling and maintain his awkward governing coalition with Israel’s very extreme right-wing parties, and by staying in power stay out of court, where he’s on trial on corruption allegations, and perhaps out of the clink. He has been staring at a rising tide of condemnation from around the world for Israel’s conduct in Gaza. The Jewish State now risks losing its association agreement with the European Union - and the trade access that gives to a massive market - in a drive to isolate Israel led by the Netherlands. A Palestinian man walks near the rubble of houses destroyed during an Israeli raid (Reuters)
Bibi won't want to lose this opportunity to have more dead hostages in order to once more scream aloud to the world "See, we are always the victim of unjust antisemitism, America save us! Send more money and guns".
Germany halts exports of military equipment to Israel ‘until further notice’ World Aug 8, 2025 https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/...tary-equipment-to-israel-until-further-notice BERLIN (AP) — Germany will not authorize any exports of military equipment that could be used in Gaza “until further notice,” Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced Friday, in a strikingly quick response by one of Israel’s strongest international backers to a decision by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet to take over Gaza City. The move by Germany, which has previously stopped short of tougher lines against Israel’s government taken by some of its European Union allies, appeared likely to further isolate Israel in the wake of the military takeover plan that has been decried by the United Nations, aid and human rights groups, and supporters of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza, among others. In a statement, Merz emphasized that Israel “has the right to defend itself against Hamas’ terror” and said that the release of Israeli hostages and purposeful negotiations toward a ceasefire in the 22-month conflict “are our top priority.” He said Hamas must not have a role in the future of Gaza. “The even harsher military action by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip, approved by the Israeli Cabinet last night, makes it increasingly difficult for the German government to see how these goals will be achieved,” he added. “Under these circumstances, the German government will not authorize any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice.” It was not immediately clear which military equipment from Germany would be affected. The weight of responsibility The German government remains deeply concerned about the suffering of civilians in Gaza, Merz said, adding: “With the planned offensive, the Israeli government bears even greater responsibility than before for providing for their needs.” He called on Israel to allow comprehensive access for aid deliveries — including for U.N. organizations and other NGOs — and said Israel “must continue to comprehensively and sustainably address the humanitarian situation in Gaza.” The move has particular weight because Germany has been seen as one of Israel’s strongest supporters — arguably surpassed only by the United States. Germany has maintained a strongly pro-Israel stance for decades largely because of its historical responsibility for the Holocaust, which has shaped its postwar foreign policy around ensuring Israel’s security and combating antisemitism. Merz’s government did not join announcements by President Emmanuel Macron of key German ally France and Britain’s Keir Starmer that they plan to formally recognize a Palestinian state in September. The reluctance so far that of the EU’s biggest economic power to take a tougher line on the actions of Netanyahu’s government clouded the prospects that international pressure might have an impact on Israel’s decisions. Israel’s air and ground war has already killed tens of thousands of people in Gaza, displaced most of the population, destroyed vast areas and pushed the territory toward famine. The campaign was triggered when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and abducting 251 people. Merz also called on Israel’s government “not to take any further steps toward annexing the West Bank.” Other European countries express their concerns Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said on X that Netanyahu’s plan to intensify operations in Gaza “is a wrong move.” He added that “the humanitarian situation is catastrophic and demands immediate improvement. This decision in no way contributes to this and will also not help to get the hostages home.” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen was quoted by public broadcaster DR as saying: “The Israeli government’s decision to intensify the military operation in Gaza is wrong. It will only lead to even greater suffering for the civilian population.” Last week, even before the Gaza City takeover plane, Slovenia announced it will ban the import, export and transit of all weapons to and from Israel in response to the country’s actions in Gaza — saying it was the first EU member country to do so. Last month, two dozen mostly European countries condemned Israel’s restrictions on aid shipments into Gaza and the killings of hundreds of Palestinians trying to reach food. Outrage over Israel’s actions in Gaza has grown in Europe as images of suffering Palestinians have driven protests in London, Berlin, Brussels and other capitals. More recently, almost-daily killings of Palestinians while seeking aid have tested the EU’s friendly relationship with Israel like never before. The Israeli decision, taken after a late-night meeting of top officials, came despite mounting international calls to end the war and protests by many in Israel who fear for the remaining hostages held by Hamas. Tens of thousands of Palestinians are bracing to once again be forced from their homes, while families of the hostages fear their loved ones won’t return. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals but 50 remain inside Gaza. Israel believes around 20 of them to be alive. The timing of another major Israeli ground operation remains unclear since it will likely hinge on mobilizing thousands of troops and forcibly evacuating civilians, almost certainly exacerbating the humanitarian catastrophe.
Trump And Netanyahu Phone Call 'Devolved Into Shouting' Over Gaza Humanitarian Situation: Report Trump rejected Netanyahu's claims that there is no policy of starvation in Gaza Demian Bio @bio_demian / Published Aug 08 2025 Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Getty Images President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly had a phone call that "devolved into shouting" over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, according to a new report. ..................... More bullshit to con the public Meanwhile guns and money from Trump keep heading toward Bibi.
US shrugs off Gaza escalation - drifting further away from allies 13 hours ago Anthony Zurcher North America correspondent in Washington EPA. President Donald Trump said this week it was "pretty much up to Israel" whether to occupy Gaza Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's declaration that Israel intends to take control of all of the Gaza Strip signals an escalation that flies in the face of some emphatic international warnings. But it is one that, at least so far, the US government has greeted with a telling and collective shrug. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump said it was "pretty much up to Israel" whether to fully occupy Gaza. And when asked the following day whether he was giving Israel a "green light", he instead spoke about the US strikes on Iran earlier this year. Washington's Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee was even more direct - and his answer was that Netanyahu's Gaza plan is not America's concern. "It's not our job to tell them what they should or should not do," he said. "Certainly, if they ask for wisdom, counsel, advice, I'm sure the president would offer it. But ultimately, it's the decision that the Israelis and only the Israelis can make." Netanyahu has faced some opposition to his plan - notably from the Chief of Staff Lt Gen Eyal Zamir who, according to Israeli media, had argued against a full-scale occupation. In the event, an announcement after a meeting of Israel's security cabinet did not say Israel would take control of the entire territory of the Gaza Strip, but rather that it would "prepare for taking control of Gaza City". It did, however, mention that one of five principles for ending the war was "Israeli security control in the Gaza Strip". Some have suggested a full takeover of Gaza has always been on the table. "Netanyahu had always planned to take over Gaza, he just was waiting for the right moment," Amin Saikal, emeritus professor of Middle Eastern, Central Asian and Islamic Studies at the Australian National University, told the BBC. Netanyahu has suggested Israel does not want to keep the territory, however, but "hand it over to Arab forces" - without specifying which. Whatever the plan, however, the Trump administration is not giving Netanyahu any public indication that he is wrong. That represents a marked change in White House policy. Trump previously had been more than willing to outline his views on Gaza's future - even when it caught Netanyahu and the Israelis by surprise. In February, just weeks into his second presidential term, he said the US could be deeply involved in the reconstruction of Gaza as a global resort and suggested Palestinians might have to be relocated outside of the territory. And while the US joined Israel in attacking Iran's nuclear facilities in the brief clash between the two nations in June, Trump publicly and forcefully pressured Israel to abide by the ceasefire that ended that conflict. The Americans also expressed their unhappiness with Israeli attacks on Syria last month - publicly disapproving, while offering even sharper criticism in private. "Bibi acted like a madman," a White House official told the news website Axios. "He bombs everything all the time." The White House has also been invested in ending the Gaza War, even pressuring Netanyahu for a ceasefire before Trump took office in January. Steve Witkoff, the real estate magnate with a broad diplomatic portfolio in the Trump White House, has been the point person for these negotiations, seeking to broker a permanent ceasefire along with the release of the remaining hostages taken by Hamas in its 7 October 2023 attack. As recently as a month ago, the White House was optimistic that a deal was within reach. "We are hopeful that by the end of this week, we will have an agreement that will bring us into a 60-day ceasefire," Witkoff said on 8 July, adding that it could lead to a "lasting peace in Gaza". But just over two weeks later, ceasefire talks had collapsed, and Witkoff was publicly accusing Hamas of being selfish and not acting in good faith. "Hamas didn't really want to make a deal," Trump said on 25 July. "I think they want to die, and it's very, very bad." Trump's comments - and his decision to abandon talks with Hamas and stay ambivalent about what could represent a massive new Israeli military operation - could be a ploy designed to force the Palestinian group to make new concessions at the negotiating table. If so, that will become apparent soon enough. "The Trump administration has got a lot of leverage, " said Prof Saikal of the Australian National University. "I think Netanyahu would not make this move unless he had some sort of consent or tacit support from Washington." This American change of course from public disapproval to obvious distancing could, however, also be part of an effort by the president to return to his non-interventionist outlook - a position he temporarily abandoned during the Iranian strikes, much to the consternation of parts of his political base. "There's increasing concern that this is inconsistent with an America-first policy, getting the United States deeper and deeper into this horrible war is not something that the president ran for office on," Frank Lowenstein, special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations during the Barack Obama administration, told the BBC. "But for the time being, anyway, I think Trump is going to let Netanyahu do whatever he wants." If so, Trump's position stands in stark contrast to the recent statements by France, the UK and Canada on recognising a Palestinian state. These moves were designed to bring additional pressure on Israel to wind down its military operations and reach a negotiated settlement with Hamas. That diplomatic recognition, as well as America's studied indifference to the prospect of a long - and possibly indefinite - Israeli military occupation, take the US and its allies in markedly different directions. But both represent a tacit acknowledgement that the current situation is untenable, and that a negotiated peace is further away than ever. With Trump, there is no telling how long this trend will last. But by the time Trump changes course again, Israel could be well down a path in Gaza that will be very difficult to reverse.
The same line as troll @gwb-trading makes, "Hamas broke off the peace deal". Meanwhile America keeps feeding Israel with weapons in order to prolong the Israeli shit stirring.
I was outlining the internationally-brokered ceasefire deal which was put into place when Biden was still in office; not anything in the recent weeks. It is obvious that Hamas broke this particular ceasefire deal by not returning hostages on the agreed-to schedule and firing missiles into Israel. All of this is well-documented and has been outlined previously on this thread at that time.