Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday publicly demanded the implementation of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to remove the population of Gaza, making it a formal condition for ending Israel’s ongoing military operation in the territory. This marks the first time Netanyahu has officially linked the controversial plan to a potential resolution of the war.
Speaking at a conference in Jerusalem, Netanyahu addressed the current Israeli offensive in Gaza—Operation Gideon’s Chariot—and responded to mounting criticism over the humanitarian crisis in the enclave. He reiterated Israel’s objective to take full control of the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that military operations would continue until all of Israel’s goals were achieved.
However, Netanyahu acknowledged concerns raised by U.S. allies, particularly in the Senate, regarding the humanitarian toll. These concerns may have played a role in Israel’s recent decision to allow the resumption of aid shipments into Gaza.
In outlining his conditions for ending the war, Netanyahu stated:
“To end the war, under clear conditions that will ensure the safety of Israel—all the hostages come home, Hamas lays down its arms, steps down from power, its leadership is exiled from the Strip… Gaza is totally disarmed, and we carry out the Trump plan. A plan that is so correct and so revolutionary.”
The “Trump plan” Netanyahu referred to was first unveiled by President Donald Trump in February during Netanyahu’s visit to Washington. The proposal reportedly includes the removal or resettlement of Gaza’s population. While other members of Netanyahu’s government have previously endorsed the plan, this is the first time Netanyahu has explicitly cited it as a condition for ending hostilities.
His comments come amid reports that Trump, increasingly frustrated with the prolonged war and distressed by the worsening conditions in Gaza, recently told aides to urge Netanyahu to “wrap it up.” Netanyahu’s renewed emphasis on the Trump plan may be an attempt to reinsert it into public discourse at a moment when Trump appears less willing to press forward with it.
Last week, the U.S. State Department publicly denied reports that the Trump administration was in talks with Libya to relocate up to one million Palestinians from Gaza—a move that was widely condemned across the Arab world and by the international community.
With the overwhelming majority of UN member states and regional governments opposed to any forced displacement of Gaza’s population, the feasibility of implementing Trump’s plan remains highly doubtful. However, Netanyahu’s latest remarks may now place political pressure back on Trump to deliver on an idea he once championed—one that has become increasingly controversial and, for many, untenable.