Barak Ravid, a reporter for the American news website Axios, quoted Israeli officials as saying that US President Trump is not playing an active role in promoting a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, and he “allowed” Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to act independently.
” Trump is not playing an active role in the current efforts to achieve a ceasefire (in the Gaza Strip – Editor’s note), and he is allowing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to act independently,” some Israeli officials who wish to remain anonymous told Ravid.
The officials told reporters that Israel has set Trump’s Middle East trip next week as the deadline for exchanging Hamas hostages and reaching a new ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. Barak Ravid said that if Israel and Hamas cannot reach an agreement, then the Israeli authorities will launch a large-scale ground operation in the Gaza Strip.
Axios also cited Israeli and US officials as saying that Trump does not plan to visit Israel during his Middle East trip, during which he is expected to focus on “bilateral issues” and investment matters.
