Description: US President Donald Trump chaired a confidential post Gaza war meeting in the White House where among the attendees were Israel’s Strategic Minister Ronald Dermer and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met separately with Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar where they also discussed the war in Gaza, Iran’s nuclear issue and Israel’s military activities in Syria. Details regarding the confidential meeting were non – existent as US Special envoy for the Middle East, Steven Witkoff stated that discussions were robust and constructive. In the interim, Israel issued the last warning for evacuations in Gaza City where the military forces are expected to launch a full – scale offensive to root out Hamas from its last standing stronghold. Peace talks have stalled after Hamas officially accepted the latest ceasefire proposal which mirrored the proposal accepted by Israel and outlined by the US. Israel is yet to officially respond to the proposal, although, Qatari mediators have stated that considering Israel’s military offensive plans and diplomatic silence, the most likely scenario is the continuation of the war.
Impact: The confidential meeting in the White House chaired by President Trump coupled with the meeting between Rubio and Saar, indicates that the US would most probably support Israel in its planned military offensive on Gaza City. The latest developments gave no stipulations of US pressure on Israel to cease military activities and reengage constructively in the peace talks. The likely military offensive would further decimate the humanitarian situation and force further internal displacement of Palestinians within tightly controlled corridors by the Israeli military. Israel managed to resist international condemnation and internal pressure as people took to the streets in protest of their country’s plans to continue its military offensive. The prospects for peace are currently extremely low unless the confidential meeting in Washington was used as a platform to pursue a more constructive resolution to the war, and diplomatic reconciliation towards the peace initiative.