Trump Says Gaza Occupation “Up to Israel”

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he would not oppose a full Israeli occupation of Gaza, effectively giving Jerusalem a green light as debate over the military’s next moves intensifies.

Earlier that day, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu reportedly emerged from a security briefing in favor of having the IDF take full control of the Strip, even if such action could put the remaining Israeli hostages in further danger.

Pressed by reporters at the White House about whether he supported the move, which still awaits final approval from Israel’s cabinet, Trump responded: “That’s pretty much going to be up to Israel.”

Trump said his main concern remains providing food aid to the civilian population of Gaza. “Who are obviously not doing too well with the food,” he noted.

He added, “Israel is going to help us with that in terms of distribution and also money.”

Trump also said that “Arab states are also going to help us with that in terms of money and possibly distribution,” pointing to a regional role in the broader aid effort.

Israel has reportedly transferred millions to the  Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), though has not confirmed this publicly, likely due to political sensitivities among Netanyahu’s right-wing base that opposes any aid going into Gaza — especially aid paid for by Israeli taxpayers.

Back on July 28, with international outrage growing over reports of widespread hunger in Gaza, Trump announced that the U.S. would set up new “food centers” in the Strip. These, he said, would be run by Israel.

The declaration caught Israeli officials off guard. Most in Jerusalem had expected the U.S. to support expanding the existing GHF infrastructure instead of launching a new delivery mechanism.

However, the following day, the White House clarified that Trump was indeed moving forward with a separate aid plan, though it has yet to be unveiled.

On Friday, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee visited a GHF site in southern Gaza. Huckabee praised the group’s efforts, suggesting Washington might stick with the current model.

But Witkoff offered no endorsement of GHF. He merely posted on social media that he was gathering information for President Trump in order to shape a more effective food delivery strategy.

Axios reported Tuesday that the U.S. aims to greatly expand its involvement in Gaza aid delivery, as officials believe Israel has mishandled the process. The administration’s detailed plan is still under development.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce refused to weigh in on the possibility of a full Israeli occupation of Gaza during a Tuesday press briefing.

“We remain focused on freeing the hostages, including the remains of two Americans, and ensuring that Hamas never rules Gaza again,” Bruce said. She cited recent propaganda videos released by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad showing severely emaciated Israeli captives.

“What we saw was an astoundingly evil reminder of who they are… For them to feel comfortable putting on full display their barbarity and their inhumanity, tells you that they seem to feel pretty comfortable at the moment,” Bruce added.

Later that day, Trump was asked whether he had seen the Hamas video showing Israeli hostage Evyatar David being forced to dig his own grave inside a Gaza tunnel.

“I think it’s horrible,” Trump said. “I hope a lot of people do get to see it, as bad as it is, because I think it’s a horrible thing.”

Netanyahu is reportedly becoming more convinced that only a direct military push into central and northern Gaza, areas the IDF has previously avoided, will apply the kind of pressure needed to compel Hamas to release the hostages.

The IDF’s top brass, however, is reportedly opposed to the plan, warning that Hamas may retaliate by murdering the hostages if it senses Israeli troops closing in.

Some Israeli media commentators believe that the very public nature of the debate over whether to occupy Gaza may be a psychological ploy meant to pressure Hamas to return to negotiations.

Talks had been advancing throughout July but collapsed on July 24, when the U.S. and Israel withdrew their teams from Doha, citing Hamas’s unsatisfactory reply to the latest ceasefire proposal.

Arab mediators told the Times of Israel that the gaps between the sides are not insurmountable. However, Netanyahu’s office has since briefed reporters that the prime minister now supports a comprehensive hostage deal in exchange for ending the war.