Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is drawing a red line against Turkish involvement in Gaza, as he simultaneously demands a full veto for Israel over the planned international peacekeeping force. Relations with Turkey soured dramatically during the war.
On Sunday, Netanyahu stated, “Israel will determine which forces are unacceptable to us.” He claimed the US supports this position, which he is using to block President Erdogan’s participation.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, while not naming Turkey, supported Israel’s right to a “comfortable” force and stressed that Hamas must be excluded from Gaza’s future.
The Trump-brokered truce is facing significant hurdles. Hamas remains armed, and the ceasefire was shaken by an Israeli strike on the Nuseirat camp, which Hamas called a “violation.”
The slow exchange of remains is another flashpoint. Donald Trump has warned Hamas to “return more bodies” quickly, as the current rate lags far behind the agreed 15-to-1 ratio.
