US President Donald Trump acknowledged that some of the Israeli occupation’s senior military officers opposed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned large-scale assault on Gaza, warning it could endanger prisoners and make any rescue effort nearly impossible. Speaking in a phone interview with Axios, Trump said these officers feared that under current conditions Hamas would not release prisoners and that a military rescue would be “very tough.” While stating that Israel must decide its next steps, Trump repeated his own opposition to Hamas remaining in Gaza, adding, “I have one thing to say: remember October 7.” His remarks come amid renewed international diplomacy aimed at ending Israel’s devastating war on Gaza, now in its 22nd month. Over the weekend, White House envoy Steve Witkoff met Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani in Ibiza, Spain, to discuss a potential comprehensive agreement that would end the war and secure the release of all prisoners. Meanwhile, a senior Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Monday for talks with Egyptian intelligence officials to explore resuming negotiations over a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange. The delegation had left Qatar for Türkiye two weeks ago after earlier talks collapsed. Since October 2023, Israel’s relentless military campaign—widely condemned as genocide—has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, nearly half of them women and children, and injured over 153,000 others. Thousands remain missing under rubble, famine grips the besieged enclave, and international aid agencies warn of a humanitarian collapse. US President Donald Trump acknowledged that some of the Israeli occupation’s senior military officers opposed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned large-scale assault on Gaza, warning it could endanger prisoners and make any rescue effort nearly impossible.

Speaking in a phone interview with Axios, Trump said these officers feared that under current conditions Hamas would not release prisoners and that a military rescue would be “very tough.” While stating that Israel must decide its next steps, Trump repeated his own opposition to Hamas remaining in Gaza, adding, “I have one thing to say: remember October 7.”

His remarks come amid renewed international diplomacy aimed at ending Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, now in its 22nd month. Over the weekend, White House envoy Steve Witkoff met Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani in Ibiza, Spain, to discuss a potential comprehensive agreement that would end the war and secure the release of all prisoners.

Meanwhile, a senior Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Monday for talks with Egyptian intelligence officials to explore resuming negotiations over a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange. The delegation had left Qatar for Türkiye two weeks ago after earlier talks collapsed.

Since October 2023, Israel’s relentless military campaign—widely condemned as genocide—has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, nearly half of them women and children, and injured over 153,000 others. Thousands remain missing under rubble, famine grips the besieged enclave, and international aid agencies warn of a humanitarian collapse.

Analysts say the internal opposition within Israel’s military ranks to further escalation, combined with Hamas’s renewed engagement in talks, highlights growing pressure for a negotiated settlement—one that could halt the bloodshed and address the catastrophic conditions in Gaza. (İLKHA)