President Trump is set to meet with Israeli officials at the White House on Wednesday to discuss plans for the Gaza Strip following the recent conflict. Talks with Hamas have stalled, and Israel is ramping up its military activities.
Steve Witkoff, the envoy representing Trump’s Peace Mission, mentioned on Fox News that the upcoming meeting will focus on a “major gathering” aimed at outlining a “comprehensive” strategy for Gaza moving forward.
“Tomorrow we’re having a significant meeting at the White House, chaired by the president. It’s a detailed plan that I believe will involve many people in the days ahead,” he stated.
Witkoff added that this initiative reflects President Trump’s humanitarian intentions.
The White House has confirmed the meeting’s schedule for Wednesday. In another development, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sarl is expected to meet Secretary of State Marco Rubio later in the afternoon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is exploring options for private organizations to oversee Gaza but is reluctant to collaborate with Hamas or Palestinian authorities from the West Bank. He emphasized that Israel needs to maintain security oversight.
Trump has previously envisioned transforming Gaza into a beach resort as part of a strategy to engage the U.S. However, such proposals have drawn criticism for potentially displacing Palestinians permanently.
While the president stated he does not endorse the forced relocation of Palestinians, Witkoff suggested that rebuilding Gaza could take decades, hinting that relocating Palestinians temporarily to another country could be a viable option. Reports suggest that there are discussions happening quietly about this relocation involving various countries in Africa and the Middle East.
Yet, advocates and experts in international law caution that implementing such a plan could be seen as a violation of human rights principles.
The meetings occur amidst criticism from Qatar and Egypt regarding Israel’s actions, as it’s believed that previous U.S. proposals don’t effectively address Hamas’ ceasefire offers.
Netanyahu reported that Hamas had drawn support from Israel on October 7, 2023. He is now looking for a deal concerning about 20 hostages and roughly 30 deceased individuals that Hamas has captured to assert blame and weaken Gaza’s governance.
Witkoff stated that Trump aligns with Netanyahu’s stance that any hostage release should occur in a single process, not staggered over weeks.
“That’s the official position of President Trump,” Witkoff explained. “He seems to believe that once all that’s happened, there shouldn’t be a need to hold onto those hostages. If they want to discuss what comes next, then we can have that conversation.”
