Israeli Strikes Kill 22 in Gaza, Threatening Trump's 15-Point Peace Plan
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 5
Israeli Strikes Kill 22 in Gaza, Threatening Trump's 15-Point Peace Plan
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 5
Summary
Sunday's Israeli strikes killed 18 people in Gaza, one of the deadliest days since the October cease-fire; attacks on Saturday and Monday killed four more, bringing the toll to 22.
That violence hit days after Trump unveiled a 15-point Gaza plan centered on Hamas disarmament, an Israeli withdrawal and a new administration for the enclave, with key timing details still unclear.
Israel has not signed the framework, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesman said the public version does not reflect Israeli positions, with objections focused on Hamas disarmament.
Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace's Gaza representative, publicly criticized the strikes, underscoring how renewed fighting could unravel the US-backed initiative before terms are settled.
Why is Israel building permanent fortifications along Gaza's temporary Yellow Line while negotiating a US-backed ceasefire?
With international troops refusing to deploy, is the new 15-point Gaza peace roadmap secretly designed to fail?
How can a ceasefire exist when over a thousand civilians have been killed since the truce officially began?
The 2026 Gaza Peace Gamble: Ceasefire Roadmap, $71 Billion in Damages, and the Battle Between Diplomacy and Reality
Overview
Despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire framework announced by President Trump in July 2026, Israeli forces immediately intensified military operations in Gaza, leading to deadly airstrikes and exposing the fragility of diplomatic efforts. This escalation deepened the strategic deadlock, as Hamas demanded a full Israeli withdrawal before disarming, while Israel insisted on complete demilitarization first. The resulting impasse stalled international donor funding for Gaza’s reconstruction, leaving the new technocratic administration unable to operate inside the enclave. Meanwhile, political turmoil in Israel ahead of critical elections further complicated the peace process, with far-right ministers threatening to collapse the government if a ceasefire was accepted.