SPIRALING

Netanyahu Blows Up Trump’s Gaza Deal With Major Escalation

Trump had said that an agreement to end the conflict could come “very soon.”

Israel’s military launched a new ground offensive targeting Gaza City on Tuesday, escalating its war against Hamas as President Trump’s efforts to bring an end to the conflict have faltered. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a “powerful operation” is underway in the Palestinian enclave, saying his country is at a “crucial stage” in the war. The news comes after Trump said earlier this month that he believed: “We’re going to have a deal on Gaza very soon.” Israeli media outlets reported that the new operation could last for months, though the military has not confirmed a timeline, according to the Associated Press. “The only thing worse than a war is a protracted one that goes on forever and ever,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. “At some point, this has to end. At some point, Hamas has to be defanged, and we hope it can happen through a negotiation. But I think time, unfortunately, is running out.” The ground offensive follows Trump’s public statements expressing frustration at Netanyahu‘s decision to bomb Hamas leaders last week in Qatar—a U.S. ally—though Israeli officials told Axios that Trump was informed before the attack took place.