Israel's Gaza offensive has nothing to do with Trump's "Riviera"

The all-out offensive launched by Israel in Gaza City, officially justified by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of the Tel Aviv Cabinet as a necessary action to destroy the terrorist group Hamas, seems to correspond to the plan outlined by US President Donald Trump to transform Gaza into a Middle Eastern Riviera. We recall that, immediately after taking office for his second term as US President, Donald Trump met in Washington in February 2025 with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During the meeting, according to media reports (Associated Press, Reuters, CNN, Fox News, NBC News, etc.), Donald Trump stated that he wanted the US to take "long-term” control of Gaza and redevelop it after the Palestinians are resettled elsewhere. Asked if this could involve US military forces, Trump replied: "As far as Gaza is concerned, we will do whatever is necessary.”

The US president said he envisioned "people of the world" being able to live in a redeveloped Gaza, which he said could look like the "Riviera of the Middle East."

"It could be so valuable. It could be so magnificent," Donald Trump said, adding that "the most important thing" was that the people who live there could live in peace and "we will make sure that it is done globally."

The US president also said on that occasion that he planned to visit Israel during his second term and even suggested that he might go to Gaza - a trip that would present unprecedented logistical and security challenges.

The Washington Post noted that Donald Trump proposed not just a demilitarized Gaza, but a Gaza rebuilt under new parameters of foreign control and investment. And the investment part would involve, according to the American press, $100 billion in projects carried out on the basis of private partnership, with long-term developments, modernized buildings, technological infrastructure, facilities for tourists, etc.

During the same meeting, Benjamin Netanyahu supported Trump's plan and declared that he is fully committed to its implementation.

Eight months after the meeting in Washington, Donald Trump's dream is about to take shape, taking into account the recent offensive launched by the Israeli forces - IDF - on Gaza City. Especially since on Monday, before the attack was launched, the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, declared that he wants to build a "luxury" neighborhood for Israeli police officers over the ruins of the Gaza Strip.

"We will complete the mission, we will occupy Gaza. Once this is accomplished, we want to establish a community of police officers in Gaza as well, with high-rise buildings on the seashore, where everything will be perfect,” Itamar Ben Gvir added, according to The Times of Israel.

"The time has come to establish new Jewish settlements, the time has come to encourage voluntary emigration of Gazans, the time has come to apply the death penalty to terrorists,” Ben Gvir continued.

• Tens of thousands of Israeli soldiers stormed Gaza City

Thus, on the night of Monday to Tuesday, the IDF's 162nd and 98th divisions, consisting of tens of thousands of soldiers, entered Gaza City after a massive wave of aerial bombardment, and the 36th Division will join them in the coming days. The operation, called "Gideon's Chariot II", was prepared by attacks on high-rise residential buildings in Gaza City and by incursions into the outskirts and eastern neighborhoods of the city, but has now entered its central phase, with direct urban fighting and the complete encirclement of the city.

According to the Israeli press, approximately 60,000 reservists have been called up for the operation, in addition to the 70,000 already active, and the IDF claims that the reporting rate is 75%-85% in most units. In parallel, the 99th Division is carrying out defensive missions in the north and the Gaza Division is operating in the south of the Strip, while the army says it has "begun destroying Hamas infrastructure in Gaza City.”

"Gaza City is considered a dangerous combat zone, and if you stay in the area, you put yourself in danger,” warned IDF spokesman Colonel Avichay Adraee in Arabic, urging civilians to evacuate south to the designated humanitarian zone. According to the IDF, more than 40% of the city's estimated population of one million has left the area, meaning more than 350,000 people have been evacuated as of yesterday.

Palestinian media and Al Jazeera correspondents reported the detonation of several armored personnel carriers loaded with explosives, controlled by remote control, in the Tel al-Hawa and Rimal neighborhoods. The IDF used decommissioned M113 vehicles, converted into massive weapons, to destroy Hamas infrastructure and booby traps. Huge explosions rocked the city, while aerial bombardment continued throughout the night.

Defense Minister, Israel Katz stated on his X-network page: "Gaza is burning. The IDF is attacking the terrorist infrastructure with an iron fist. We will not give in or back down until the mission is accomplished.”

• 68 dead on the first day of the offensive

The Israeli press reported yesterday that medical facilities in Gaza City had reported that 39 people had died between midnight Monday and lunchtime yesterday, 23 of whom at Shifa Hospital. According to Al Jazeera, the toll for the day had reached at least 68 deaths, 52 of whom in Gaza City alone.

Diplomatically, the situation became tense after a UN commission of inquiry yesterday concluded that Israel had committed four of the five acts of genocide in Gaza under the 1948 Convention: murder, serious bodily or mental harm, inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about destruction, and measures preventing births.

"The commission finds that Israel is responsible for committing genocide in Gaza,” said Navi Pillay, the commission's chairwoman, adding that there was "an intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”

The report accuses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant of inciting genocide and documents crimes such as mass murder, starvation, sexual violence, and the targeting of children. The commission urges Israel to "end the genocide in Gaza” and calls on UN member states to halt arms transfers to Israel and prosecute individuals or corporations under their jurisdiction who are complicit in the genocide.

Tel Aviv officials have strongly rejected the allegations and accused the UN commission of turning into a "Hamas proxy.”

"The report is based entirely on Hamas lies, washed up and repeated by others,” the Foreign Ministry said, calling for the UN commission to be dissolved.

Former diplomat Alon Pinkas told Al Jazeera that most Israelis deny what is happening in Gaza, but that the report has major moral and political implications.

• Tel Aviv stock market tumbles after Gaza offensive begins

The offensive in Gaza City has had a negative effect on shares traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, which fell in value, according to Israeli media.

Thus, the benchmark TA-125 index of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange was down 1.8% at one point yesterday, while the TA-35 index of top companies fell 1.6%. The TA-90 index, which tracks the largest-capitalization stocks not included in the TA-35 index, fell 2.3%, and the TA-Insurance index fell 2.9%.

"The start of the Gaza offensive is a disappointment for investors, after expectations of a possible ceasefire fueled Tel Aviv stock indexes to record highs in August,” Jonathan Katz, chief economist at Leader Capital Markets, told The Times of Israel. "The offensive means that the costs of the war will continue, spending will have to be increased, and the budget deficit will be higher, which is negative for Israel's credit rating,” Katz added.

On top of all this, there were statements by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said that Israel is facing the threat of diplomatic isolation due to the war in Gaza and must become a "Super Sparta" and be independent. The statements of the head of the Tel Aviv government were criticized by representatives of the business environment at the High-Tech Forum for Israel, which is taking place these days, criticism also taken up by Jonathan Katz, who said: "The negative sentiment of investors is also influenced by Netanyahu's statements, which have implications regarding potential increases in budget spending for the purchase of military equipment and weapons supplied by the defense industry."

• EU prepares to suspend trade agreements with Israel

The European Commission is expected to announce new sanctions against Israel today due to the war in Gaza, a spokesman for the Community Executive said yesterday.

"The commissioners will adopt a package of measures on Israel. More precisely, it is a proposal to suspend certain trade provisions in the EU-Israel agreements,” European Commission spokeswoman Paula Pinho said, as quoted by Reuters.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul condemned the escalation of Israel's offensive on Gaza City, calling it "a step in a completely wrong direction.”

"We reject this and have made it clear to the Israeli government,” the German official said during a press conference, calling on the Israeli government to return "to the path of negotiations for a ceasefire and an agreement” on the release of prisoners held in Gaza.

Yvette Cooper, Britain's foreign secretary, said the Israeli army's attack on Gaza "will only bring more bloodshed.”

Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said in a post on X that "the legacy of the British government will be its complicity in one of the greatest crimes of our time.” "This genocide belongs to Britain too,” he wrote on X.

In another post on X, former Labour MP Zarah Sultana also questioned Britain's involvement in Israel's war on Gaza, calling on the government to "stop selling arms to Israel.”

Amnesty International has also called on the British government to do the same, while Israeli human rights and health NGOs have called on the Tel Aviv government to halt the Gaza offensive, saying the forced evacuation of Palestinian civilians is a flagrant violation of human rights.