US Could Lead Gaza After War, Under New US-Israel Plan
The United States and Israel are discussing a plan for Washington to lead a temporary administration in Gaza after the war ends, five sources familiar with the talks told Reuters.
The proposed plan would have a U.S. official overseeing Gaza during a transitional period until the region is demilitarized and a stable Palestinian leadership is established. The model being considered is similar to the Coalition Provisional Authority the U.S. set up in Iraq in 2003 after the toppling of Saddam Hussein.
Sources said the talks are still in the early stages and the U.S. role would depend on conditions on the ground.
The development comes as President Donald Trump prepares to visit several countries in the Middle East. It also follows Israel’s approval of a plan to take full control of the Gaza Strip in a new phase of its war against Hamas.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on Tuesday and Wednesday killed 48 Palestinians.
One strike targeted a school sheltering displaced families in Al Bureij, killing 33 people, according to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Another strike hit a school in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood, east of Gaza City, on Wednesday, killing at least 15 people seeking shelter and wounding 10 others, according to Gaza’s Civil Defense.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its strikes are aimed at Hamas militants who operate from civilian areas.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said on Wednesday that Israel has entered “Phase 2” of its military campaign and would act “proactively” to defeat Hamas.
Since March 18, more than 2,500 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The overall toll since the war began in October 2023 has reached over 52,500.
