On Monday, December 29, at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to shape the next chapter of the Gaza peace process—and to send Iran a clear message: don’t try to rearm 🔥.
Think of it like unlocking the next level in a peace game 🎮.
They laid out a bold second phase of the plan:
- Full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza
- Disarmament of Hamas as a non-negotiable step
- Kickoff of Gaza reconstruction
- Formation of a transitional governing body
“As quickly as we can, but there has to be a disarmament,” Trump told reporters, adding that rebuilding efforts will begin “pretty soon.”
Humanitarian context
According to Gaza health authorities, since October 2023 the Palestinian death toll has reached 71,266, with 171,219 injured. They also report that 414 Palestinians have been killed and 1,142 wounded since the latest ceasefire took effect on October 10.
Firm warning to Iran
Trump issued a stark caution: “Now I hear that Iran is trying to build up again, and if they are, we’re going to have to knock them down. We’ll knock the hell out of them.” He suggested a diplomatic deal would be “much smarter” for Tehran.
Iranian officials maintain their missile program is purely defensive. Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has called it essential for the country’s sovereignty.
Regional tensions
Tensions spiked this year when Israel launched surprise air strikes on multiple sites in Iran on June 13, followed by U.S. strikes on June 22 against nuclear facilities in Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan. Monday’s discussions tied progress on Gaza directly to efforts to neutralize threats from Iran, a key supporter of Hamas.
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Reference(s):
cgtn.com
