Trump and the Gaza War Volume II

What is happening in Gaza currently cannot be understood merely as a continuation of the war between Hamas and Israel as a result of the deadliest attack carried out by Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023. What has transpired in Gaza recently has become a war of its own, namely Gaza War Volume II, which in several aspects differs from Gaza War Volume I that "ended" on March 1, 2025.

As is well known, the Gaza war experienced a ceasefire for a considerable duration, 42 days (January 19 - March 1, 2025). In essence, the ceasefire, which was adopted from the idea of former United States President Joe Biden, could have lasted even longer, considering that this ceasefire proposal consists of three phases, which means 42 days multiplied by three, or 126 days. However, due to developments that occurred during the first phase of this ceasefire, it ultimately ended sooner on March 1 and was not extended further.

Various efforts have been made by the parties to save the existing ceasefire, including promoting a "new type" of ceasefire that differs from the old one. However, these efforts have consistently failed and come to nothing. On March 18, Israel once again launched indiscriminate attacks on Gaza. In fact, this time, the Israeli assault can be considered more brutal than before, since the outbreak of this war on October 8, 2023.

There are two factors that can serve as distinguishing elements between the current Gaza War II and Gaza War I. First, the effort to forcibly expel the residents of Gaza. This is the specific objective of Gaza War II being carried out by Israel. Although it may have different goals, the desire to expel the residents of Gaza cannot be separated from the statement made by US President Donald Trump when he met with Netanyahu at the White House a few days after President Trump was inaugurated as President of the United States on January 20, 2025. So clearly and firmly, President Trump at that time stated that he would take over Gaza, relocate the residents of Gaza, and turn Gaza into the Riviera of the Middle East, a kind of beautiful beach city.

Trump's idea to relocate Gaza residents has faced rejection from many parties, ranging from the residents of Gaza-Palestine themselves to countries that have been allies of the United States, particularly those surrounding Palestine, such as Egypt and Jordan. President Trump did not clearly explain the intent behind his statement. In fact, on one occasion, President Trump emphasized that no one intends to forcibly evict Gaza residents (12/3/2025).

It seems that Netanyahu does not want to lose the historic momentum provided by Trump in the form of unlimited policies for Israel. Moreover, the indiscriminate war waged by Netanyahu over the past two years has temporarily succeeded in "forcibly expelling" the residents of Gaza, who ultimately returned in droves to their homes after a ceasefire was achieved on January 19. In the author's view, this is the objective of Gaza War II that was not present in Gaza War I.

As previously stated by senior Israeli officials, the Gaza War Part I aims to free Israeli citizens held hostage by Hamas during the attack on October 7, 2023. The Gaza War Part I also seeks to destroy Hamas. Some senior Israeli officials have even referred to the war's objective as cleansing Gaza, and Palestine in general, of elements considered radical or terrorist by Israel.

During the course of the war, Israel can be said to have failed to achieve its war objectives mentioned above. In fact, almost all Israeli citizens held hostage by Hamas were not directly freed by Israel's war policies. Most hostages were released during ceasefires. Israel also failed to destroy Hamas, instead of liberating Gaza or Palestine from the resistance group that Israel refers to as terrorists.

What Hamas demonstrated during the ceasefire serves as evidence of Israel's failure to realize its war ambitions. Through various "celebrations" of hostage exchanges, Hamas showcased to the world that Israel has completely failed to achieve its war objectives; hostages could not be freed by Israeli forces through wartime policies, Hamas remains triumphant with its weapons and full gear, and the resistance groups continue to uphold Palestine. This is what the author referred to at the beginning of the article as developments occurring in the early stages of the ceasefire, which led to a quicker end to the existing ceasefire. Furthermore, Netanyahu is bound by a promise to the right-wing groups to resume the war after the initial ceasefire concludes.

Secondly, the role of Trump and his unwavering support for Israel. This is the second factor that makes the current Gaza war not merely understandable as a continuation of the Gaza conflict resulting from the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Trump is very different from former US President Joe Biden, who still provides some caveats in his substantial support for Israel. These include notes regarding the use of weapons and the vision of Israel's victory that must be framed within a two-state solution; Israel and Palestine. Meanwhile, Trump has often provided unconditional support to Israel.

This is what makes Netanyahu more supportive of Trump winning the 2024 US Presidential Election than Kamala Harris. As a tangible form of support for Trump's victory efforts, Netanyahu employs a strategy that the author refers to as "quicksand trap"; trapping Biden-Harris between the obligation to support Israel on one side and the rejection of Israeli genocide, which can also be understood as pro-Palestinian, on the other side.

This strategy is implemented by Netanyahu through tactical advances and retreats in various ceasefire negotiations driven by Joe Biden. Ultimately, the statements and political stance of Joe Biden-Harris regarding the Gaza war have consistently resulted in blunders that have caused their popularity and electability to decline over time. Consequently, Trump has truly emerged as the winner of the 2024 US presidential election.

The ceasefire that was successfully achieved and implemented on January 19, 2025, is also influenced by Trump. Moreover, Trump has openly stated that a ceasefire must be reached before he is inaugurated as President of the United States on January 20, 2025. In fact, it is not uncommon for Trump to use threats of dire consequences when a ceasefire is not achieved before his inauguration as President of the United States.

Therefore, when the Second Gaza War is currently taking place, it cannot be separated from Trump's responsibility. It was Trump who presented the idea of relocating the residents of Gaza, just as it was Trump who provided unlimited support to Israel, including reversing the policy of former President Joe Biden that prohibited the shipment of heavy weapons to Israel.

Will Trump forever support Netanyahu without limits? This remains uncertain. Moreover, Trump has a "businessman" character with a transactional spirit aimed at gaining profit. In recent developments, Trump stated that the Gaza war will soon come to an end. This statement was made after Trump met with Netanyahu again earlier last month (7/4/2025). Next month, Trump is scheduled to visit several countries in the Middle East. All of this could serve as a strong factor for Trump to pressure Netanyahu to return to the negotiating table and implement a ceasefire as a means to free the hostages.

All existing developments are highly likely to lead to a quicker conclusion of the Second Gaza War, which aims to forcibly expel the residents of Gaza. Moreover, the idea of forcibly expelling the residents of Gaza continues to face rejection from the global community. Recently, even Trump himself seems to have refrained from insisting on this idea.

Hasibullah Satrawi, Political observer of the Middle East and the Islamic world