Trump's Gaza Policy Shift: Analysts Warn of Escalation Amid Distracted US Diplomacy

President Trump's approach to the Gaza conflict has shifted significantly in recent months, with analysts saying he has grown less engaged in the issue. The change in policy comes as Israeli officials announced plans to escalate their military operations in Gaza, raising concerns about the prospects for peace. Trump's planned trip to the Middle East next week is expected to be a critical moment in determining his next move on the conflict.

Key Takeaways:

• Analysts say President Trump has become less engaged in the Israel-Hamas conflict, giving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a free hand to escalate military operations in Gaza.
• The Israeli government has announced plans to call up tens of thousands of reservists for a fresh assault in Gaza, which could lead to a major escalation of the conflict.
• Trump's senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have shown little interest in stepping in to mediate the conflict, leaving Netanyahu to pursue his own agenda.
• The Israeli blockade of Gaza has worsened the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave, with Trump's administration showing flashes of concern but taking little concrete action to address the issue.
• Israeli officials, including Michael Makovsky, the president and CEO of the hawkish Jewish Institute for National Security of America, say Trump has given them a green light to use heavy force against Hamas.
• The Biden administration's approach to the conflict was vastly different, with top officials spending "a vast amount of time" trying to manage Israel's Gaza campaign and limit civilian suffering.

Statistics:

• 20 hostages still being held captive by Hamas (Source: Ilan Goldenberg, J Street)
• Tens of thousands of Israeli reservists to be called up for a fresh assault in Gaza (Source: Israeli government announcement)
• 18-month war between Israel and Hamas (Source: Initial article text)
• 7,2023, date of Hamas attacks that sparked the Gaza conflict (Source: Initial article text)
• Trump's 2024 campaign promise to end the war in Gaza still unfulfilled (Source: Initial article text)
• 4 times that Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss Ukraine (Source: Initial article text)
• 4 stops planned for Trump's Middle East trip, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (Source: Initial article text)

Sources:

• Ilan Goldenberg, J Street (senior vice president, quoted in the article)
• Michael Makovsky, Jewish Institute for National Security of America (president and CEO, quoted in the article)
• Axios (cited in the article)
• Brian Hughes, National Security Council (spokesman, quoted in the article)
• Eric Lee, The New York Times (photographer, credited in the article)