Netanyahu says he appreciates Trump’s ‘full support’ on Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has thanked US President Donald Trump for his “full support” in Gaza following the completion of the sixth captive-prisoner exchange of a nearly month-old truce.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu … appreciates the president’s full support for Israel’s decisions regarding the Gaza Strip in future developments,” his office said after Trump posted on social media that Israel should choose how to respond to the successful conclusion of the latest swap.
Netanyahu’s office added: “President Trump’s firm stance led to the release of three of our hostages today, despite Hamas previously refusing to release them.”
Earlier this week, Trump had warned that “all hell” would break loose unless every Israeli captive was released from Gaza by Saturday.
Three-pronged pressure on Netanyahu after ‘contradictory promises’
The Israeli leader is facing a “impossible” situation now, according to former Israeli diplomat Alon Pinkas, who spoke to Al Jazeera from Tel Aviv, as phase one of the Gaza ceasefire draws closer to completion.
Pinkas laid out a “three-pronged pressure” on Netanyahu: Israeli public opinion that above all wants its captives back home; the push from the far-right in his coalition to resume the war in Gaza; and how to deal with Trump’s “weird ultimatum” that all captives be released by 17:00 GMT on Saturday.
At its core, Pinkas, said is Netanyahu making “contradictory promises” that box him in.
Israel should ‘bring down hell on Hamas,’ Ben-Gvir says
Israel’s far-right former Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has urged the government to restart the war in Gaza after Trump’s demand for Hamas to release all the captives by 17:00 GMT on Saturday went unmet.
“Prime Minister – Stop missing opportunities. They didn’t bring everyone back!” Ben-Gvir said in a statement on X.
“The right-wing government must embrace President Trump’s words and bring down hell on Hamas.”
Ben-Gvir resigned from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet in January to in protest against the Gaza ceasefire deal.
‘Spain will not allow’ Trump to displace Palestinians from Gaza, PM says
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has criticised US President Donald Trump’s plan to forcibly displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
“Spain will not allow this,” Sanchez said at a Socialist Workers’ Party event in San Sebastian, northern Spain, and called for international law to be respected.
“No real estate transaction can conceal the evil, disgrace, and crimes against humanity that Gaza has witnessed in recent years.”
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