WASHINGTON D.C., United States — Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has joined a White House meeting with US President Donald Trump to discuss plans for post-war Gaza.
According to US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, the US is putting together a “very comprehensive” plan on “the next day” after the war, though few specifics have been disclosed.
Blair, who served as a Middle East envoy for several years after leaving office in 2007, has a history of focusing on economic development for Palestinian areas and fostering conditions for a two-state solution. However, when asked by reporters what the plan was for a Palestinian state, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar replied that there would not be one.
The White House meeting comes as the Israeli military continues its operations and has warned Palestinians that the evacuation of Gaza City is “inevitable” as forces prepare to conquer the area.
The military is also conducting operations around Khan Younis and Jabalia. In the past 24 hours, hospital officials reported that dozens more Palestinians have been killed by Israeli strikes and gunfire, including some while attempting to get aid.
Thousands of people have already been displaced by recent Israeli advances, with most moving to other parts of Gaza City, where approximately one million Palestinians still reside.
In early August, Israel announced its intention to occupy the entire Gaza Strip, describing Gaza City as Hamas’s last stronghold.
The United Nations (UN) and non-governmental organizations have cautioned that an Israeli offensive in Gaza City—where a famine was declared last week—would have a “horrific humanitarian impact.”
In a statement released on Wednesday, all members of the UN Security Council, with the exception of the US, called the famine a “man-made crisis” and expressed “profound alarm and distress” over the latest report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
The statement also called on Israel to immediately “and unconditionally” lift restrictions on humanitarian aid, reiterating that the use of starvation “as a weapon of war” is prohibited by international law.
In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said he believed the war in Gaza could end within the next four months. “We’re going to settle this one way or another, certainly before the end of this year,” he stated.
Asked about a plan for governing post-war Gaza, Witkoff added, “It’s a very comprehensive plan we’re putting together on the next day that I think many people are going to… see how robust it is and how it’s how well meaning it is, and it reflects President Trump’s humanitarian motives here.”
The White House affirmed its stance, stating, “President Trump has been clear that he wants the war to end, and he wants peace and prosperity for everyone in the region.”
While no specific details about the post-war proposals have been released, Trump had previously suggested in February that Gazans could be permanently relocated to neighboring countries, with the US taking over the territory to transform it into “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
The Axios website reported that Trump’s son-in-law and former senior advisor, Jared Kushner, was also present at the meeting.
On-the-ground reality
The diplomatic discussions are unfolding as the Israeli military continues its operations in Gaza. On Tuesday night, Israeli tanks pushed into the northern Ibad al-Rahman district of Gaza City, destroying several homes, witnesses told Reuters news agency.
“All of a sudden, we heard that the tanks pushed into Ibad al-Rahman, the sounds of explosions became louder and louder, and we saw people escaping towards our area,” said Saad Abed, who was at his home in Jala Street, about 1km away.
On Wednesday, the tanks reportedly retreated to the Jabalia area further north, where they have been operating. Bombardment also continued in the city’s Shejaiya, Zeitoun, and Sabra districts.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Israeli military said its troops had engaged in combat in the Jabalia area and on the outskirts of Gaza City, adding that they had eliminated a “terrorist cell” and located a weapons storage facility.
The military’s Arabic spokesman, Avichay Adraee, posted on X on Wednesday that “evacuating Gaza City is inevitable,” urging residents to relocate to southern Gaza. He claimed there was “empty space” and that each family making the move would “receive the most generous humanitarian aid.”
However, the UN and other non-governmental organizations warned last week that forcing hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate Gaza City and move south was “a recipe for further disaster and could amount to forcible transfer.”
They also stated that the southern areas where displaced residents are expected to move were “overcrowded and ill-equipped to sustain human survival at scale.”
Breakdown in ceasefire talks
The escalating conflict follows the breakdown of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas on a ceasefire and hostage-release deal. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israel would conquer the entire Gaza Strip.
However, he faces both international and domestic pressure to halt the offensive. On Tuesday evening, tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Tel Aviv, demanding a ceasefire deal to bring home the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Only 20 of the 50 hostages are believed to be alive.
Also Read: Israeli airstrikes kill at least 25 Palestinians in Gaza
Israel has not accepted the latest proposal from regional mediators for a 60-day truce and the return of around half of the hostages, saying it will only agree to a comprehensive deal that brings back all hostages and ends the war on its own terms.
The Israeli military launched its campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
Since then, almost 62,900 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
More than 90% of homes are estimated to be damaged or destroyed, and the healthcare, water, sanitation, and hygiene systems have collapsed. UN-backed global food security experts have also confirmed a famine in the Gaza City area.
