The Trump administration has issued a stark ultimatum to Israel, threatening to withdraw crucial support if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fails to end the Gaza conflict, according to a confidential source speaking to The Washington Post.
"Trump's people are letting Israel know, 'We will abandon you if you do not end this war,'" the anonymous insider revealed to The Washington Post, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the sensitive diplomatic exchanges. This pressure has reportedly intensified in recent days as Israel mobilizes additional reservists and escalates bombing campaigns in Gaza.
The source indicated to The Washington Post that Netanyahu framed the resumption of humanitarian assistance as merely procedural during a Sunday cabinet meeting, telling officials it was "only a technicality." Despite possessing "a huge majority in the Knesset and in Israel" that could enable ending hostilities, the source claimed Netanyahu "does not have the political will" to do so.
Netanyahu on Sunday announced Israel's intention to deploy "massive force to take control of all of the Gaza Strip" while simultaneously restarting "minimal" aid deliveries. He identified potential mass starvation as a diplomatic "red line" that could jeopardize vital US backing.
Netanyahu referenced conversations with Israel's "closest friends in the world," including unnamed American politicians he described as "unwavering supporters of Israel for decades." These allies reportedly promised to provide weapons and defend Israel at the UN Security Council but warned "they cannot handle pictures of mass starvation."
In the video statement released on social media platforms, Netanyahu declared that Israel "we cannot reach a point of starvation, for practical and diplomatic reasons."
