President Donald Trump gave Israel a “green light” early Tuesday morning, resuming massive bombings in Gaza, killing at least 420 Palestinians, including 130 children.
Israeli officials confirmed that Trump has approved a resumption of attacks on Hamas after the group refused to release more hostages, according to the Wall Street Journal. White House spokesman Caroline Leavitt also said Israel had given advance notice of the attack. She then repeated Trump's mid-February warnings.
As of March 1, Trump has approved more than $12 billion in military aid to Israel since taking office almost two months ago. Called “sale,” it is fully funded by US taxpayers through foreign military finance (FMF) grants. This includes shipments of 2,000 pound bombs and weapons that can level out the entire city block. This approach coincides with Trump's vision for the future of Enclave.
The US justifies Israel's escalation
At a UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday, the United States firmly supported Israel and took the sole responsibility for Hamas' escalation. Washington and Tel Aviv alleged that Hamas caused an updated bombing by rejecting a unilaterally renewed US-brokered ceasefire proposal. I'll explain that in more detail later.
US Ambassador Dorothy Shay argued that Hamas “resolutely rejected all proposals and deadlines presented over the past few weeks.” She specifically referenced the proposal to extend the truce beyond Ramadan and Passover to allow further consultations on a long-term ceasefire.
According to the Israeli era, Hamas had already agreed to a ceasefire agreement in January and insisted on sticking to the original terms.
Victims and threats of further bombing
Israeli leaders vowed to escalate unless all hostages were released immediately.
“Hamas must understand that the rules of the game have changed,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared Tuesday. He added,
If (Hamas) doesn't release all the hostages immediately, you will face the full strength of the air, sea and land IDF until the gates of hell are opened and completely removed.
But who is really on the receiver? According to Haaretz, Israeli forces are deliberately targeting civil infrastructure to undermine Hamas' governing capabilities. News from the drop site reported that Tuesday's strike killed “several members of the Gaza government and members of the Politburo of Hamas.” The rest was more than 300 civilians secured by Trump administration standards.
Shay told the United Nations,
IDF is amazed at Hamas' position. Hamas continues to use private infrastructure as launch pads, and it is well known that the US is condemning the practice just like everyone else.
In other words, that logic would change a single Hamas fighter into a legal target for a building, hospital, or entire home, no matter how many civilians are trapped there.
In the meantime, Reuters reported on the nightmare scene:
Tensioned by the 15-month fire, the hospital was able to see piles of bodies of white plastic sheets painted with blood stacked as casualties were brought in.
After a fatal strike, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “This is just the beginning.”
“Next, negotiations will only take place under fire,” he emphasized. The number of people expecting Netanyahu and his American allies to recover amid new artillery fire remains unknown.
Certain war violation
The January ceasefire agreement, mediated by the US, Egypt and Qatar, was intended to stop hostilities. It involved a multiphase process. Hamas releases the hostages, Israel retreats, and humanitarian assistance enters Gaza.
Netanyahu clearly issued a statement as the ink was still dry in the January 17 ceasefire agreement. He said the then president had “emphasised” that President Trump was “temporary” as the truce was only “temporary.”
Netanyahu also claimed that Trump gave him “full support” to resume the attack at Israeli discretion. The ceasefire had not yet been in effect – it was set for January 19th – but the message was clear.
On February 9, Haaretz warned that Netanyahu likely plans to “derail” the agreement.
In fact, since signing the contract, the Netanyahu government systematically hampered the ceasefire. Food and some supplies were allowed to Gaza in the first 42 days, but Israel blocked almost all of its 60,000 mobile homes and only allowed a small portion of the 200,000 tents designated as displaced people under the deal.
Israeli forces also continued airstrikes, killing at least 130 Palestinians. On March 2, after the first phase was over, Israel imposed a complete lockdown of aid, blocking food and medical supplies. A week later, Israel shut off electricity. It crippled the desalinated plants of Gaza, leaving 600,000 people in Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis without clean drinking water.
Israel has refused to engage in negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, according to the report. Instead, Netanyahu sought to extend the first stage without fulfilling Israel's obligations under the contract.
Additionally, during the initial agreement, Israel reportedly refused to commit in writing to refrain from resuming hostilities after the first phase.
US intervention
As the second phase approaches, the US changed terms of the transaction under Trump. His Middle Eastern envoy, Steve Witkov, introduced Witkov's proposal. In return, Israel will agree to extend the ceasefire and allow Gaza to reopen humanitarian aid. However, the proposal did not explicitly require Israel to meet its previous commitments. Most notably, the complete military withdrawal from Gaza.
Hamas publicly denied Witkov's rejection of proposals and accused Netanyahu of blocking the ceasefire through an updated attack. “If Israel and the United States think they can change the agreement we have reached, they are deceiving themselves,” said the Hamas senior official.
Despite public denials, reports say Hamas personally rejects the proposal and insists that Israel must support its withdrawal commitment. On Sunday, Witkov called Hamas' reaction “totally unacceptable” and threatened the group if they didn't reconsider.
Trump's vision for Gaza
The new attacks align with Trump's vision for the future of Gaza. In early February, he promised to “control the Gaza Strip.” Trump said the US would “own” it and turn it into a prosperous business hub.
Perhaps to bolster this, in late February, Trump shared an AI-generated video of futuristic Gaza. It was characterized by a luxury resort, a transgender belly dancer, cash falling from the sky, and a golden statue of himself.
The widely circulated video among his supporters sparked rage. Many accused it as a cruel dystopian fantasy that attempts to whitewash public suffering.
Despite his anti-war campaign, Trump's foreign policy reflects that of the past few administrations.
Rather than destroying the past, Trump is solidifying his current situation, which has come to be called “Genocide Joe” based on the legacy of his predecessor.
Related:
Trump: We “own” and rebuild Gaza and drive away its people
“Cleaning” Gaza: Egypt and Jordan refuse to call for Trump's relocation
The IDF supervises Gaza Cleansing. The White House calls it “temporary.”
Trump orders air strikes Yemen
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