Israel struck the Nuseirat refugee camp, defying Hamas’s condemnation of it as a “clear violation” of the truce. Simultaneously, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defied the international community by demanding a unilateral veto over the Gaza peacekeeping force.
“Israel will determine which forces are unacceptable to us,” Netanyahu declared, a stance he says the US supports. This comes as Hamas, which remains armed, accuses Netanyahu of undermining Trump’s peace efforts.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, visiting Israel, backed Netanyahu’s conditions. He stated the force must be agreeable to Israel and that Hamas will be excluded from power.
Netanyahu has already signaled this veto would be used to block Turkey. The force, which will not include US troops, is being discussed in Qatar, with Egypt and Gulf states as potential participants.
The truce is also strained by a slow exchange of remains. Donald Trump has warned Hamas to speed up the return of Israeli bodies, a process the group claims is difficult.