TEL AVIV
Israel’s far-right finance minister on Tuesday slammed a peace plan unveiled by US Donald Trump and backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a day earlier to end the nearly two-year war in Gaza.
In a long post on X, Bezalel Smotrich called the plan “a resounding diplomatic failure, a closing of eyes and turning our backs on all the lessons of October 7,” referring to Hamas´s October 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war. “In my estimation, it will also end in tears. Our children will be forced to fight in Gaza again,” he added.
Meanwhile, China said Tuesday that it “supports all efforts” for a de-escalation in Gaza after US President Donald Trump presented a new plan to end the war to Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas. “China welcomes and supports all efforts conducive to easing tensions between Palestine and Israel,” foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a regular press briefing.
In a related development, Turkiye appears to have deployed drones to monitor the Global Sumud Flotilla, according to flight tracking data reviewed by Al Jazeera. The flotilla has already drawn the attention of Spain, Italy and Greece. Now, publicly available flight data shows that three long-endurance drones originating from Turkiye’s Corlu airbase have circled above the flotilla for three consecutive days.
Neither Turkiye’s foreign ministry, defence ministry nor its national intelligence agency responded to requests for comment. A UN housing expert has expressed worries regarding the “land grabs” outlined in Trump’s Gaza plan. Balakrishnan Rajagopal, the UN special rapporteur on the right to housing, highlighted concerns over aspects of the proposal, particularly the suggested creation of a “permanent buffer zone.”
“This so-called ‘peace plan’ by Trump and Netanyahu is abominable on so many levels,” Rajagopal posted on social media. “Among the worst: a ‘transitional authority’ headed by the war criminal Tony Blair [and] land grabs through a permanent buffer zone. Palestinians must drive this process!”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed US President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the war in Gaza with a new plan. “We call on all sides to come together and to work with the US Administration to finalise this agreement and bring it into reality. Hamas should now agree to the plan and end the misery, by laying down their arms and releasing all remaining hostages.” Starmer said.
