In a significant shift, the United States is reportedly pivoting its strategy for the Gaza conflict, moving away from incremental agreements towards a singular, comprehensive resolution. This new approach, championed by former President Trump, aims to secure the immediate release of all remaining hostages and bring a definitive end to the protracted war, as conveyed by White House envoy Steve Witkoff to the families of those held captive.
Witkoff’s candid remarks during a two-hour meeting in Tel Aviv with dozens of hostage families underscored a critical acknowledgment: the piecemeal approach pursued by Israel and the U.S. over the past six months has demonstrably failed to yield desired results. He stressed Trump’s firm belief that “everybody ought to come home at once — no piecemeal deals,” signaling a determined pivot towards an “all or nothing” negotiation framework to ensure all 20 live hostages are returned simultaneously.
The shift in strategy comes after months of stalled negotiations, where previous attempts at partial ceasefires and hostage exchanges proved unsustainable. While an earlier deal in January, facilitated by Trump and Witkoff, led to the release of 33 hostages, it faltered in its subsequent phase, with the Trump administration allowing Israeli Prime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to sidestep serious negotiations on a comprehensive follow-up. Israel’s unilateral resumption of the war in March further solidified the need for a revised approach.
Historically, Netanyahu has favored partial and incremental deals, largely driven by domestic political considerations aimed at avoiding a commitment to ending the war entirely. Conversely, Trump has consistently advocated for a comprehensive resolution, albeit endorsing Netanyahu’s incremental tactics in recent failed rounds of talks despite his reservations. This long-standing tension between the two approaches now appears to be reaching a definitive turning point, as both Washington and Jerusalem grapple with the ongoing deadlock.
Recent high-level discussions between Witkoff and Netanyahu confirm an emerging understanding that a new framework is necessary. This understanding, spurred by Hamas’s perceived rejectionist stance, signals a move from releasing some hostages to a broader deal encompassing the freedom of all captives, coupled with the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip. This ambitious objective seeks to establish a more enduring peace and stability in the region.
However, the path to this comprehensive deal remains fraught with challenges. While Witkoff indicated that Hamas has expressed a willingness to demilitarize, albeit under certain conditions, Hamas itself has publicly responded by stressing it will not disarm before the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. This fundamental divergence highlights a significant hurdle that still needs to be overcome in any final agreement.
Despite the strategic pivot, senior Israeli officials indicate that a final decision to change course has not been officially made, and a previous partial deal for a 60-day ceasefire in exchange for 10 live and 18 deceased hostages technically remains on the table. The situation is described as a “crossroads,” with the outcome hinging on Hamas’s engagement and the willingness of all parties to navigate the complex demands. The success of this new “all or nothing” strategy ultimately depends on finding common ground amidst deeply entrenched positions and a history of failed incremental approaches.
