From diplomacy to disaster: Netanyahu’s trip derailed by Gaza ambush

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Laetithia Harb

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had hoped that Israelis would wake up Tuesday to headlines celebrating his successful talks with U.S. President Donald Trump. Instead, the day brought a major crisis in Gaza and the potential setback of a deal expected to be announced from Washington.

The crisis was marked by the killing of five soldiers and the wounding of 14 others in one of the deadliest ambushes the Israeli Army has faced in 21 months of war.

The shock reverberated across the country, with Israelis describing it as a “black morning,” while Netanyahu’s government of Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich maintained their refusal to consider a halt to the war.

Despite the serious security incident, Netanyahu is pressing on with efforts to frame his visit as historic, even proposing the nomination of Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

At the center of the Washington discussions is what Israeli officials have called the “package of carrots”—a reference to the diplomatic incentives and arrangements being negotiated. These include a proposed ceasefire in Gaza, a prisoner exchange, and the use of Syria as a conduit for regional coordination. 

In fact, Trump has sent an envoy to Damascus in hopes of advancing negotiations on an Israel–Syria agreement. He has also dispatched Steve Witkoff to Qatar in a bid to accelerate the deal before the end of the week.

According to sources familiar with the president’s plans, Trump sees a Syria–Israel accord as a strategic building block that would help Netanyahu manage the Gaza front.

On the second day of negotiations, Netanyahu outlined his conditions for halting the war, which include the full dismantling of Hamas’ military and administrative infrastructure/ governing capabilities. He also emphasized efforts to weaken the group by promoting the displacement of Gaza residents—a file entrusted to Defense Minister Israel Katz.

Katz is overseeing the creation of a designated facility in Rafah intended to house up to 600,000 Palestinians. The site labeled the “humanitarian city” would tightly restrict movement, barring residents from leaving once they enter/ would prohibit Palestinians from leaving once they enter.