Israeli expert: Trump's plan for managing Gaza "there is no hope for its implementation"

The Israeli reserve officer and orientalist, Moshe Elad, stated that U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for the Gaza Strip "will not withstand the test of reality," emphasizing that "there is no hope for its implementation" because Hamas "will not give up its weapons or relinquish control of the strip."

Elad explained in an interview with the newspaper "Ma'ariv" that what is happening in Gaza today reminds him of the expression used by the late Prime Minister Levi Eshkol when he described the failure to implement his decisions as "half tea and half coffee," saying that the current scene "fits this description perfectly."

He added that the United States has established a massive headquarters in Kiryat Gat to monitor the implementation of the plan, noting that the official visits to it are impressive, "but the question is: what is actually being implemented?".

He pointed out that this headquarters is reminiscent of the American floating port that was established on the Gaza coast in 2024 to bypass the Israeli blockade, which collapsed in the first wave after losing $230 million, and the Biden administration faced severe criticism at that time.

He said: "Will Trump's project also be a symbolic display of failure in the face of reality?".

Elad indicated that Trump's plan, called the "Twenty-Point Plan," is "a bold American plan but filled with contradictions," explaining that its authors envisioned Hamas voluntarily withdrawing from the strip after disarming, in a "celebratory" scene of lowering its flag.

After that, Arab and Islamic countries, including Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Jordan, and the UAE, would take over the management and development of the strip for the benefit of its approximately two million residents.

He added that "the evangelical supporters of Trump in the United States were proud of this vision that imagines a place of fire and destruction turning into a land pulsating with life," but he affirmed that "this plan will not be implemented as Trump and his team envisioned."

Elad clarified that Hamas considers the return of prisoners "a gesture of goodwill towards Trump," and that its gradual implementation of this step will enhance its position with the intermediary countries, and may even guarantee its participation in the next government.

He noted that all parties in the Middle East, such as Hamas, Arab countries, and the United States, understand the American plan in different ways.

He pointed out that the first phase of the agreement saw the return of 20 living prisoners to Israel, but the process was slow and marked by deliberate procrastination.

Hamas, supported by Turkey and Qatar, claimed that it "is not violating the agreement and is making its effort," yet American anger exceeded the organization itself.

Elad stated that Hamas is betting on the support of its sponsors in Turkey and Qatar, who are close to the Muslim Brotherhood, so as not to succumb to American or Israeli dictates.

He explained that "the movement seeks to buy time to regain its strength and control over the strip again, and it will return the dead prisoners very slowly."

He added that "it is clear that Hamas refuses to implement the second part of the agreement, related to the demobilization of fighters and the transfer of control over the Gaza Strip, as this item does not appear on its agenda at all."

He also clarified that the United States, despite being the leader of the world, "deters Israel and the Arab countries but does not deter Hamas," pointing out that "Trump's repeated threats to open the gates of hell no longer scare anyone," according to him.

Elad affirmed that "the last thing left in Trump's hands is to expel Hamas leaders from Qatar and Turkey, and that alone is what truly scares them."

He explained that Hamas is taking advantage of the current period of anticipation to reorganize its ranks within the strip, in preparation for the possibility of being forcibly removed, adding that "any confrontation between Hamas and an Arab peace force would be expected."

He recalled that "the United States is considered a historical enemy of Hamas," referring to the incident in 2003 when three American diplomats were killed in Gaza at the invitation of the Palestinian Authority.

The Israeli orientalist concluded his remarks by saying: "Someone needs to tell Trump: You are late. Hamas was supposed to have withdrawn from the strip by now, and the peace government should start reconstruction. What is happening in Gaza will not be resolved by establishing luxurious headquarters or by empty threats, but only by force, and it must happen now."