Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is currently in the midst of another campaign of sabotage to prevent a “ceasefire” agreement that would bring an end to Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinians of Gaza. All parties—from Hamas, to the regional mediators Qatar and Egypt, to the Trump administration—know that Netanyahu is entrenched in his position that Israel will not agree to any deal that does not allow Israel to continue a campaign it has characterized as a war of conquest against Gaza. Israeli officials have made no secret about their aim of erasing Gaza as a Palestinian territory and removing its 2.3 million residents. Hamas has said it will not release any more Israeli captives unless an agreement is reached that includes a full withdrawal of Israeli forces and a clear path to a long term ceasefire.

In the latest Drop Site News livestream, Jeremy Scahill and Ryan Grim discuss how Israel is using the veneer of agreeing to allow aid into the besieged territory to enable it to pursue its final solution in Gaza, with the full support and backing of the U.S. government. They also talk about the deal the U.S. made with Hamas to free Israeli soldier and U.S. citizen Edan Alexander. Hamas told Drop Site that Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff personally promised the group it would compel Israel to lift its full spectrum blockade on Gaza two days after Alexander was released. Witkoff, Hamas said, also told Hamas that President Donald Trump would publicly call for a ceasefire and serious negotiations to end the war. Hamas accused the U.S. of “throwing the deal in the trash.” As Israel intensifies its attacks against Gaza and the humanitarian situation growing more grave by the day, the central question is whether Trump—for his own reasons—will force Netanyahu to end the war or whether Trump will continue to facilitate Israel’s campaign of annihilation.

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