Trump to announce 'Gaza peace plan', sidelining Israel and Netanyahu

US President Donald Trump is considering announcing a comprehensive plan for the Gaza Strip by the end of the week, Israeli media reported on Thursday.

According to American and Israeli officials and Arab diplomatic sources cited by the Hebrew newspaper Israel Hayom, the proposal would aim to end Israel's 18-month war on the Gaza Strip, and would include new political and security arrangements in the territory.

American officials said the plan is being developed with direct White House backing and partial cooperation from Israel, though it does not fulfil all of the Israeli government’s demands.

If finalised, it is expected to be presented to Israel as a fait accompli, placing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a difficult position that could trigger political turmoil within his far-right governing coalition.

The proposal may include granting Hamas leaders reassurances that they would not be assassinated and ensuring their participation in a civilian governance framework for Gaza.

US officials told the paper the administration is taking the plan seriously, amid military deadlock and growing international criticism over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

In a related development, Axios reported that Trump met privately on Thursday with Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer at the White House to discuss Gaza and nuclear talks with Iran. The meeting was not announced by either government.

The US news outlet also reported that Dermer met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday and held multiple meetings in Washington, including with Trump.

Trump 'angry' with Netanyahu

No official comment has been issued by the White House, but there are reports that Trump is angry with Israel's "arrogant" and "manipulative" approach to its US ally and has cut off contact with Netanyahu.

Israeli Army Radio quoted a senior unnamed Israeli official saying: "It didn’t help that Dermer spoke with senior Republican officials in his usual arrogant manner about what Trump should do.

"People close to Trump told him that Netanyahu is manipulating him, and there’s nothing Trump hates more than being seen as naïve—or worse, as someone being manipulated. So he decided to cut off contact. This may change later, but that’s the current situation."

Israel Hayom also reported that Israeli officials believe Trump cannot move forward with a civilian nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia unless it satisfies Israeli interests. One official said Trump currently lacks the Senate majority to pass such a deal without Israeli alignment.

Separately, Reuters quoted sources as saying the US has dropped its earlier demand for Saudi-Israeli normalisation as a prerequisite to nuclear cooperation with Riyadh.

Israeli Army Radio reported Israeli political sources saying, "They [the US] want results... Trump has a year to show them. He doesn’t have time to wait."

Meanwhile, Hamas's armed wing launched an attack on Israeli forces in Rafah, killing two soldiers. In a statement, the Qassam Brigades said that it targeted a number of Israeli forces in Rafah amid "fierce clashes" in the southern Gaza city.

Israeli media further reported that the soldiers belonged to the Golani Brigade and were killed when an anti-tank missile struck the soldiers as they were about to storm a building in the Al-Janina neighbourhood of Rafah.