Israeli airstrikes hit the Gaza Strip on Saturday, hours after President Donald Trump called to halt the bombing, saying that Hamas was ready for peace.
Netanyahu defies Trump’s call for a ceasefire, risking his coalition — and Trump’s dream of winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
By Ya Liban – Op-Ed
In a stunning act of defiance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered new airstrikes on Gaza late Friday, just hours after Hamas accepted President Donald Trump’s ceasefire and hostage-exchange proposal. The strikes, which Gaza’s health ministry said killed at least 70 Palestinians, came despite Trump’s explicit warning to “stop the bombing and bring the hostages home.”
Hamas announced it would “release all Israeli prisoners, both living and dead,” under the formula in Trump’s plan, asking for 72 hours to complete the process. About 48 hostages remain in captivity, of whom only 20 are believed to be alive. For Trump, who hailed the agreement as a “historic breakthrough,” the moment was supposed to mark his crowning diplomatic achievement — an end to the Gaza war and a potential path to the Nobel Peace Prize he has long coveted.
But Netanyahu’s defiance has thrown that dream into jeopardy. By resuming the bombardment, Israel risks shattering Trump’s peace narrative and undermining the very framework he hoped would define his legacy. “Every strike makes Trump’s deal harder to sell,” said a U.S. official familiar with the talks. “If Netanyahu keeps bombing, there’s no peace — and no prize.”
Analysts say Netanyahu’s decision reflects a struggle for political survival. His far-right coalition partners fiercely oppose any deal that allows Hamas to remain in Gaza or ends the war without “total victory.” Accepting Trump’s plan could collapse his government; rejecting it could alienate the United States and isolate Israel internationally. “Netanyahu is walking a tightrope,” said Shira Efron of the RAND Corporation. “He can’t win either way.”
For Gaza’s civilians, the consequences are immediate and devastating. Residential buildings have been reduced to rubble, hospitals are overwhelmed, and families who had hoped for a ceasefire are now mourning their dead. The coming days will determine whether Trump’s peace bid — and his Nobel ambitions — can survive Netanyahu’s bombs.