Report: Israel Freezes Decisions Regarding Gaza and Lebanon Developments Until Netanyahu-Trump Meeting

SadaNews - Israel has frozen its decisions regarding the situation and developments related to Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria until the meeting between its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump, scheduled to take place in Florida at the end of this month. This follows a session held yesterday to discuss the second phase of Trump's plan concerning Gaza, which is expected to include the disarmament of Hamas, a wide-ranging withdrawal of the Israeli army from the sector, and the commencement of reconstruction, which ended without resolution. An Israeli source familiar with the proceedings of the session stated, "Netanyahu is awaiting his meeting with Trump, and the situation regarding the sector is not clear at all"; according to what was reported by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation ("Kan 11"). The session included various scenarios regarding options in Gaza, ranging from a complete loss of U.S. intervention in the sector to the presence of Americans through private contracting companies. It was also suggested that Israeli army forces themselves could undertake the disarmament of Hamas, including a scenario that could ultimately lead to the establishment of military rule; according to "Kan 11". In this context, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on Friday that "there will be no peace" possible in the Gaza Strip without the disarmament of Hamas. Rubio told journalists, "If Hamas is capable in the future of threatening or attacking Israel, there will be no peace, and no one will be convinced to invest money in Gaza if they believe a new war will break out within two or three years." He added, "That’s why disarmament is of utmost importance." Regarding Lebanon, the quintet committee "mechanism" tasked with monitoring the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah discussed during its fifteenth meeting in the town of Naqoura ways to enhance the capabilities of the Lebanese army and the return of displaced persons to their homes, with participation from military representatives from Lebanon, France, Israel, and the United States. For its part, Netanyahu's office stated in a press release that "an international mechanism meeting was held in Naqoura, under the auspices of the United States between Israel and Lebanon, as scheduled," pointing out that "with the Prime Minister’s approval, and under the direction of the Deputy National Security Council Chairman, Deputy National Security Council Chairman for Foreign Affairs, Youssef Darzani, participated in the meeting". The statement added that "the meeting is a continuation of the security dialogue aimed at ensuring the disarmament of Hezbollah by the Lebanese army, and discussed ways to enhance economic projects, to demonstrate mutual interest in removing the threat of Hezbollah, and to ensure sustainable security for the residents on both sides of the border."