Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer is set to meet with top U.S. officials in Washington this week to discuss a controversial plan for Israeli military control over the Gaza Strip, an Israeli official told The Times of Israel. The visit marks a significant moment in post-ceasefire diplomacy as Israel ramps up its military campaign to eradicate Hamas.
According to reports, the plan includes a proposal for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to take responsibility for distributing humanitarian aid within Gaza—an idea previously rejected by Israel’s own defense leaders but now back on the table amid a shift in both Israeli and American leadership.
While the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) declined to confirm the agenda of Dermer’s meetings with U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and other top defense and intelligence officials, it did disclose that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday. According to the Israeli readout, the two discussed efforts to secure the release of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas and the resumption of combat operations in Gaza, with Rubio expressing “America’s unequivocal support for Israel and its policies.”
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Dermer is leading a high-level delegation, including officials from the National Security Council, IDF, Mossad, the Foreign Ministry, and the Israel Atomic Energy Agency, according to the Walla news outlet.
Until recently, Israeli officials had resisted formal military rule in Gaza, wary of the political and logistical fallout. But according to The Washington Post, with a new IDF Chief of Staff, a new Defense Minister, and President Donald Trump back in the White House, Israeli leaders are reconsidering their stance.
In particular, the Trump administration’s hardline support for Netanyahu’s government has encouraged a more aggressive posture. Amir Avivi, a former IDF deputy commander in Gaza, told the Post that past divisions in Israel’s war cabinet and concerns from the Biden administration about civilian casualties had constrained operations.
“Now there is new leadership, there is the backup from the US,” Avivi said. “The plans are decisive. There will be a full-scale attack and they will not stop until Hamas is eradicated completely.”
Israeli officials reportedly plan to evacuate civilians, including women, children, and vetted noncombatants, to so-called “humanitarian bubbles” before targeting Hamas operatives who remain. The military effort, sources say, will increasingly focus on Hamas’s civil leadership as well as its military commanders.
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The proposed military presence in Gaza could require as many as five IDF divisions, raising concerns among Israeli defense planners about stretching the military’s capacity—especially amid internal dissent among reservists and lingering security threats on other fronts.
The move to have the IDF control humanitarian aid is particularly notable. Netanyahu first floated the idea in September 2024, but it was rejected by then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and former IDF Chief of Staff Herzl Halevi. By February 2025, however, Israeli officials had begun briefing international aid agencies about plans for Israeli-run logistics hubs to screen and distribute aid—circumventing Hamas and ensuring aid is not diverted to militants.
This week’s discussions in Washington are expected to formalize those plans.
Netanyahu has faced persistent criticism for not presenting a comprehensive plan for Gaza’s future governance once the war concludes. The issue has strained relations with Arab nations and even drew criticism from the former Biden administration.
In February, President Trump suggested the U.S. should develop Gaza as a tourist destination, likening it to a “riviera” once it is cleared of its current population—an idea widely condemned by Palestinians and Arab governments but embraced by some members of Netanyahu’s coalition who support the reestablishment of Israeli settlements in Gaza.
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The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants invaded southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. The following day, Hezbollah opened a second front in the north, sparking a two-front war that continued until a ceasefire was brokered in November. A second ceasefire in January saw some hostages released, but ultimately broke down earlier this month.
In recent days, Israel has resumed airstrikes across Gaza, expanding its targeting to include Hamas’s civilian administration. Ground maneuvers have also resumed in select areas.
As talks continue in Washington, both Israeli and U.S. officials say no final decision has been made regarding the full scope of Israel’s future military presence in Gaza. However, the tone and direction of the current talks suggest that a new phase of deeper Israeli involvement in Gaza’s governance may soon be underway.
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