Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that Israel will not end its genocide in Gaza until it achieves its goal of the total forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, as outlined by U.S. President Donald Trump in his “Riviera” plan that experts say would violate international law.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Netanyahu said that the goal of the current offensive is for Israel to control “all” of Gaza, and for the region to be demilitarized. He said that the only way Israel will end its assault is if Palestinians in Gaza are totally disarmed and Trump’s plan is realized — meaning that Gaza will be emptied of Palestinians, either by death or expulsion.
Netanyahu’s comments were made in the context of stalled ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, with the Israeli leader seemingly setting the implementation of the plan as a condition for negotiations. In other words, Netanyahu has said that Israel will not agree to stop its slaughter until it can declare total victory.
“I am ready to end the war on clear terms that will ensure Israel’s security — all the hostages returned home, Hamas lays down its weapons, its leadership is overthrown, Gaza is completely demilitarized and the Trump plan is implemented,” Netanyahu said. He added that he would be open to a temporary ceasefire, but only for a captive release.
Hamas said that Netanyahu’s statements are yet another way of sabotaging any negotiations over a ceasefire agreement and guaranteeing that there will be no captive exchange.
Trump’s plan, unveiled in February, would remove all Palestinians from Gaza and turn the Strip into the “Riviera of the Middle East,” creating a luxury vacation spot on the remains of Israel’s genocide. Top human rights experts have said that the plan is outrageous and represents forced displacement, a crime worse than ethnic cleansing.
Netanyahu called Trump’s plan “brilliant” and “revolutionary” in his remarks.
The plan somewhat clashes with Netanyahu’s plan for Israel to wrest total control over the Strip, with Trump having suggested that the U.S. will take control of the region.
This is a far-fetched idea, though Netanyahu said that Israel is preparing to implement a plan unveiled recently for the Israeli military to collaborate with U.S. contractors to supposedly distribute aid to Palestinians in Gaza. This plan has been widely denounced by humanitarians, who would be kicked out of the Strip and replaced by world powers whose goal is not to serve the people of Gaza, but to seize further control over Palestinian land and advance the genocide.
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