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Hegseth, Signal questions dog Waltz as potentially perilous UN ambassador confirmation hearings loom

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The same day that National Security Advisor Mike Waltz exited his job at the White House, President Donald Trump announced a new job offer for the former Florida congressman: United Nations ambassador. 

But there are some hurdles Waltz must clear first before the New York job is his — including undergoing a Senate confirmation process amid scrutiny after the Atlantic magazine exposed a Signal group chat that his team had set up to discuss strikes against the Houthis in March. 

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And receiving full support from the slim Republican majority in the Senate isn’t guaranteed, and not all Republicans got on board backing Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Vice President JD Vance ultimately cast the tie-breaking vote securing Hegseth’s nomination. 

Democrats appear hungry to use Waltz’s nomination as a forum to air grievances against other foreign policy leaders in the Trump administration — particularly Hegseth. 

NEXT US NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR? HERE’S WHOM TRUMP MIGHT PICK TO REPLACE WALTZ 

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U.S. national security advisor Mike Waltz and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stand, as U.S. President Donald Trump meets French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House on Feb. 24, 2025.  (Reuters/Brian Snyder)

Still, Waltz’s nomination to represent the U.S. at the U.N. will likely attract support from establishment Republicans in the Senate who weren’t on board with Hegseth in the Pentagon, given that the ideological divide between these Republicans and Waltz is much smaller than it was in Hegseth’s case, according to one Florida GOP source.

«He’s been able to thread the needle really, really well between traditional conservative foreign policy voices and the more populist America First policy voices,» the Florida GOP source said of Waltz.

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HEAT ON WALTZ

Waltz, who previously represented Florida’s 6th congressional district, is a retired Army National Guard colonel and former Green Beret who served four deployments to Afghanistan and earned four Bronze Stars — the fourth-highest military combat award, issued for heroic service against an armed enemy. 

While Waltz and Hegseth both were embroiled in the Signal chat discussing strike plans against the Houthis, Hegseth has attracted more of the heat, at least publicly, stemming from the incident. Democrats have called for Hegseth’s resignation as a result of the chat, but staffers at the White House — including Waltz — have openly backed Hegseth and shut down reports that the administration is seeking his replacement. 

But Waltz could get his turn attracting the ire of lawmakers as Democrats find an opportunity to openly grill him in front of the Senate, amid displeasure with Trump’s foreign policy and national security agenda. 

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«The second hundred days of national security under President Trump will apparently be just as chaotic as the first hundred,» Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said in a statement to Fox News Digital about Waltz’s departure from the White House. 

«President Trump’s consistent hirings, firings and upheaval sap morale from our warfighters and intelligence officers, degrade our military readiness, and leave us less prepared to respond to threats from our adversaries,» Coons said. «American citizens at home and around the world are less safe because of President Trump’s non-existent national security strategy.»

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., also took aim at Waltz — although she labeled Hegseth the worst offender affiliated with «Signalgate.»  

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MIKE WALTZ, OTHER NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL STAFFERS OUT IN LATEST TRUMP PURGE FOLLOWING SIGNAL CHAT LEAK

Sen. Tammy Duckworth

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., also took aim at former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz — although she labeled Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth the worst offender affiliated with «Signalgate.»   (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

«Took them long enough. Mike Waltz knowingly made an unclassified chain to discuss classified matters,» Duckworth said in a Thursday X post ahead of Waltz’s U.N. ambassador nomination. «But of all the idiots in that chat, Hegseth is the biggest security risk of all—he leaked the info that put our troops in greater danger. Fire and investigate them all.»

In addition to the Signal chat, Waltz’s exit from the White House was tied to several other issues. For example, Axios reports that Waltz treated White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles like «staff,» and his disrespect rubbed her the wrong way. 

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«He treated her like staff and didn’t realize he’s the staff, she’s the embodiment of the president,» a White House official told Axios. «Susie is a deeply loyal person and the disrespect was made all the worse because it was disloyal.»

Waltz reportedly discussed different roles he could take on following his stint at the White House with Wiles, according to CBS News. Waltz was reportedly offered jobs, including the ambassador to Saudi Arabia, but ultimately settled on U.N. ambassador. 

A spokesperson for the National Security Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

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NEXT STEPS

With Waltz out as national security advisor, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will temporarily step into that role. 

While Trump originally nominated Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., to represent the U.S. at the U.N., he rescinded her nomination in March, citing that the House could not afford to lose another Republican seat. 

Stefanik’s nomination lagged in the Senate in comparison to other U.N. ambassador nominees, including Trump’s first U.N. ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. The Senate confirmed Haley in January, just after Trump’s first inauguration. 

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While the exact timeline for a potential confirmation vote in the Senate is unclear, the first hurdle that Waltz must clear is a confirmation vote out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Although it is uncertain when the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will schedule the nomination hearing for Waltz and the subsequent vote, the committee said his nomination is a «priority.» 

«The committee has been working at a historically fast pace and this nomination will be a priority moving forward,» a GOP staffer on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee told Fox News Digital. 

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Stefanik and Barasso shake hands

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., meets with Republican Sen. John Barasso of Wyoming.  (Office of Rep. Elise Stefanik)

The 80th session of the U.N. General Assembly is scheduled for September 9, so there are a few months for Waltz’s confirmation to play out, the Florida GOP source said. That means that Waltz could take a few months off, start the confirmation process in June or July and wrap up his confirmation by September at the latest, the source said. 

«He’s got plenty of time. So, this isn’t a looming fight that’s going to happen next week,» the Florida GOP source said. «This is going to play out probably in June or July, which by then, people are going to forget about the Signalgate stuff, or at the very, very least, they’re going to forget about Mike Waltz’s role in it.» 

But there are a few Republican wildcards in the Senate who have voted against several of Trump’s nominees, most prominently Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who voted against Hegseth, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer.  

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Mitch McConnell

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., voted against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in January.  (J. Scott Applewhite/the Associated Press)

A spokesperson for McConnell did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

Other Republicans who have opposed Trump nominees include Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, both of whom voted against Hegseth, as well as Sens. Ted Budd of North Carolina and Rand Paul of Kentucky, both of whom voted against Chavez-DeRemer.  

Aside from former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., whom Trump initially nominated to serve as attorney general, Trump’s entire cabinet has been approved. Gaetz withdrew his nomination amid a House Ethics Committee investigation into sexual misconduct and drug-use allegations. 

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Despite opposition from Democrats, and possibly a few Republicans, it appears unlikely that any fire that Waltz will face will sink his nomination. 

«The reality of it is, the president can lose three votes in the Senate, and the vice president can still vote to break a tie,» the Florida GOP source said. «There’s no way he’s probably going to lose three votes.»

Meanwhile, other Republicans have openly stated they endorse Waltz’s nomination, including Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Risch, R-Idaho, who lauded Trump’s decision to nominate Waltz for the role. 

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Vice President JD Vance sits for an interview with Fox News’ chief political anchor Bret Baier in South Carolina, where he addressed Waltz’s nomination to represent the U.S. at the United Nations.  (Fox News/Special Report)

«Great choices. America is safer and stronger under President Trump and his national security team,» Risch said in a Thursday X post. «I thank Mike Waltz for his service as NSA, and look forward to taking up his nomination in our committee.» 

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., also posted on X on Friday that Waltz would be confirmed «for sure.» 

Vance also voiced support for Waltz and billed the nomination as a «promotion,» pushing back on any suggestions that Waltz’s removal amounted to a firing. 

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«Donald Trump has fired a lot of people,» Vance said in an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier Thursday. «He doesn’t give them Senate-confirmed appointments afterward. What he thinks is that Mike Waltz is going to better serve the administration, most importantly, the American people in that role.»

Fox News’ Charles Creitz contributed to this report. 

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El jefe del Ejército de Israel habló sobre una posible ofensiva total contra Hamas: “Estamos lidiando con asuntos de vida o muerte”

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El Jefe del Estado Mayor de las FDI, Teniente General Eyal Zamir, habla durante una evaluación de seguridad el 7 de agosto de 2025. (Fuerzas de Defensa de Israel)

El jefe del Estado Mayor del Ejército israelí, Eyal Zamir, aseguró este jueves que la bautizada como operación Carros de Gedeón, la fase de la ofensiva israelí en Gaza que comenzó a mediados de mayo con el objetivo de ampliar el control militar del enclave palestino, está llegando a su fin tras lograr sus objetivos.

Las declaraciones de Zamir llegan en medio de una creciente tensión entre la cúpula militar y el primer ministro Benjamin Netanyahu por los planes del mandatario para tomar el control total de la Franja de Gaza, una propuesta que el Ejército rechaza categóricamente.

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“Hemos cumplido e incluso superado los objetivos de la operación, y continuamos actuando para garantizar la seguridad a largo plazo de las comunidades del sur”, declaró Zamir durante una evaluación de seguridad matutina con la alta dirigencia militar, según comunicó el Ejército israelí.

El alto oficial militar añadió que las fuerzas armadas tienen “la capacidad de crear una nueva realidad de seguridad junto a la frontera, mientras mantenemos la presión sobre el enemigo. No volveremos a limitar nuestras respuestas. Eliminaremos las amenazas en su fase inicial”.

El ministro de Defensa, Israel
El ministro de Defensa, Israel Katz; el primer ministro, Benjamin Netanyahu, y el jefe del Estado Mayor de las Fuerzas Armadas israelíes, Eyal Zamir. (Europa Press)

En un mensaje que parece dirigido directamente al gobierno, Zamir también defendió el derecho del Ejército a expresar su opinión profesional, incluso cuando esta difiera de las posiciones políticas. “Una cultura de desacuerdo es una parte inseparable de la historia del pueblo de Israel; es un componente vital de la cultura organizacional de las FDI, tanto interna como externamente”, declaró.

“Seguiremos expresando nuestras posiciones sin miedo, de manera sustancial, independiente y profesional”, agregó el jefe militar, en comentarios que fueron publicados horas antes de una reunión del gabinete de seguridad prevista para esta tarde, donde se discutirán los planes de ocupación de Gaza.

Fuentes en la Oficina del Primer Ministro han sugerido que si Zamir se opone al plan de ocupar Gaza, puede renunciar, según múltiples reportes que indican repetidos choques entre el jefe militar y el gabinete en días recientes.

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Los manifestantes llevan guantes durante
Los manifestantes llevan guantes durante una protesta para exigir la liberación inmediata de los rehenes retenidos en Gaza desde el ataque del 7 de octubre de 2023 contra Israel por parte de Hamás y el fin de la guerra, en Tel Aviv. (REUTERS/Ammar Awad)

Las fuerzas armadas israelíes son reacias a operar en lugares donde se encuentran retenidos los rehenes por temor a que los grupo terroristas palestinos en Gaza los ejecuten ante el avance de las tropas, como ya ocurrió a finales de agosto de 2024 con seis cautivos, cuyos cadáveres fueron hallados el 1 de septiembre.

Según la cadena pública israelí Kan, la cúpula militar cree además que ocupar toda Gaza provocará un aumento considerable de las bajas israelíes.

“No estamos lidiando con teoría; estamos lidiando con asuntos de vida o muerte, con la defensa del estado, y lo hacemos mientras miramos directamente a los ojos de nuestros soldados y los ciudadanos del país”, enfatizó Zamir durante la evaluación matutina. “Continuaremos actuando con responsabilidad, integridad y determinación, con solo el bien del estado y su seguridad ante nuestros ojos”.

El líder opositor israelí Yair
El líder opositor israelí Yair Lapid se reúne con el líder de la mayoría del Senado estadounidense, Chuck Schumer, el martes 9 de abril de 2024, en el Capitolio, Washington. (AP Foto/Jacquelyn Martin, Archivo)

La resistencia a los planes de Netanyahu no se limita al ámbito militar. El líder de la oposición israelí, Yair Lapid, advirtió este miércoles al primer ministro que la ocupación total de la Franja de Gaza “es una pésima idea”.

Tras reunirse con Netanyahu en Jerusalén, Lapid afirmó que le dijo: “Ocupar Gaza es una pésima idea. La mayoría de la gente no te apoya; al pueblo de Israel no le interesa esta guerra. Pagaremos un alto precio por ello”.

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Lapid propuso una alternativa: “En lugar de una ocupación y una anexión de Gaza innecesarias, necesitamos atraer a Egipto a Gaza, para que haya otro gobierno que la gestione en vez de nosotros, y después centrarnos en lo importante, que es eliminar a Hamas”.

A pesar de la oposición militar y política, Netanyahu tiene previsto reunir este jueves por la tarde a su gabinete de seguridad para aprobar sus planes para tomar el control de toda la Franja.

El martes, tras una reunión de tres horas entre Netanyahu y Zamir, la oficina del primer ministro declaró que “las FDI están preparadas para implementar cualquier decisión tomada por el gabinete político y de seguridad”.

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Zamir reafirmó el compromiso del Ejército con sus objetivos fundamentales: “Tenemos la intención de derrotar y colapsar a Hamas. Continuaremos actuando con nuestros rehenes en mente, y haremos todo para traerlos a casa”.



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4 key Senate seats Republicans aim to flip in 2026 midterms to expand their majority

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Republican Sen. Tim Scott’s goal in next year’s midterm elections is not only to defend the GOP’s 53-47 margin in the Senate, but to expand the majority.

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Scott, the conservative senator from South Carolina, told Fox News Digital soon after taking over late last year as chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) that he aimed to increase the GOP’s control in the chamber to at least 55 seats.

And he’s standing by his goal.

«The bottom line is, I believe that we can defend our current seats while adding at least two more seats to our numbers,» the NRSC chair told Fox News Digital earlier this year.

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THIS REPUBLICAN JUST JUMPED INTO BATTLEGROUND GEORGIA’S HIGH-PROFILE SENATE RACE 

Sen. Tim Scott spoke to a South Carolina GOP delegation breakfast on Wednesday (pictured speaking on the RNC stage). (Getty Images)

Senate Republicans enjoyed a favorable map in the 2024 cycle as they flipped four seats from blue to red to win back the majority.

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But the party in power—clearly the Republicans right now—traditionally faces political headwinds in the midterm elections. Nevertheless, a current read of the 2026 map indicates the GOP may be able to go on offense in some key states.

In battleground Georgia, which President Donald Trump narrowly carried in last year’s White House race, Republicans view first-term Sen. Jon Ossoff as the most vulnerable Democrat incumbent up for re-election next year.

TRUMP-BACKED RNC CHAIR JUMPS INTO THE NATION’S ‘MARQUEE’ SENATE RACE

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They’re also targeting battleground Michigan, where Democratic Sen. Gary Peters is retiring at the end of next year, and swing state New Hampshire, where longtime Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen decided against seeking a fourth six-year term in the Senate.

Also on the NRSC’s target list is blue-leaning Minnesota, where Democratic Sen. Tina Smith isn’t running for re-election.

At the top of their list is Ossoff, who narrowly won election to the Senate in a January 2021 runoff contest.

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Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia was first elected in 2021. He is running for re-election in the 2026 midterms.

Republicans view Sen. Jon Ossoff as the most vulnerable Democrat running for re-election in the 2026 midterm elections. (AP)

But Ossoff is off to a very hot fundraising start, and a GOP primary in Georgia between Reps. Mike Collins and Buddy Carter, and former college and professional football coach Derek Dooley, is starting to turn combustible.

DNC CHAIR TELLS FOX NEWS DIGITAL DEMOCRATS HAVE HIT ‘ROCK BOTTOM’ – HERE’S HIS PLAN TO REBOUND

Republicans are also confident they can flip Michigan, another battleground Trump narrowly carried last November.

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Former Rep. Mike Rogers, the 2024 GOP Senate nominee who lost last year’s race by a razor-thin margin, has at this point cleared the Republican primary field, thanks in great part to Trump’s endorsement.

Mike Rogers is backed by President Donald Trump as he runs for the Senate in Michigan

Former Rep. Mike Rogers, a Republican Senate candidate in Michigan for a second straight election cycle, is interviewed by Fox New Digital in Grand Rapids, Michigan on April 2, 2024. (Paul Steinhauser – Fox News )

Democrats, meanwhile, have a very competitive primary on their hands. The primary race includes three well-known Democrats: Rep. Haley Stevens, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and former gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who enjoys the backing of progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

With Shaheen, who made history as the first woman in the nation’s history to win election as a governor and a senator, out of the running in New Hampshire, the GOP is hoping to win a Senate election in the Granite State for the first time in 16 years.

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Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire isn't seeking reelection in 2026

Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, seen at a policy event in Concord, N.H. on Oct. 22, 2024, isn’t seeking a fourth term in the Senate when she’s up for re-election in 2026. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

They’re encouraged by the gains Trump made in New Hampshire in last year’s election, as he improved on his showing from four years earlier and came close to carrying the state.

But four-term Rep. Chris Pappas’ announcement in early April that he would run to succeed Shaheen has cleared the Democratic primary field, as of now, of any potential rivals for the party’s Senate nomination.

Meanwhile, a Republican primary in the state—where the GOP hasn’t won a Senate race in 15 years—is heating up between former Sen. Scott Brown and state Sen. Dan Innis, with the possibility of more candidates entering the race.

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In Minnesota, the leading candidates in the Democratic primary to succeed Smith are Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig.

Former professional basketball player Royce White, who won the 2024 Senate nomination in Minnesota, and former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze are currently running in the GOP primary. But another Republican Senate hopeful may soon enter the field.

While Republicans will work to defy political history in next year’s midterms, they point to the Democratic Party’s current brand issues.

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«Democrats have historically low approval ratings because candidates like Jon Ossoff and Chris Pappas keep prioritizing radical policies like men in women’s sports, protecting sanctuary cities for criminal illegal aliens, and raising taxes on working families,» NRSC communications director Joanna Rodriguez argued in a statement to Fox News.

And Rodriguez touted that «Republicans are delivering on policies that keep Americans safe and let families and workers keep more of their hard-earned paychecks. Voters will reward us for it in 2026.» 

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Netanyahu’s security cabinet to meet on Gaza war, as some in Israel call to resettle enclave

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to convene his high-level security cabinet on Thursday to discuss expanding the war against Hamas, including the potential full military occupation of the Gaza Strip.

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The prospect comes against the backdrop of the 20th anniversary of Israel’s full disengagement from the enclave, as calls for resettlement — once confined to the political fringes — have entered the mainstream, including within the government, particularly in the wake of Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre.

Rebuilding Jewish communities in Gaza would be «a historic correction to a national injustice,» Yitzhak Wasserlauf, Israel’s minister for the Development of the Periphery, the Negev and the Galilee, told Fox News Digital.

FOX NEWS GETS INSIDE LOOK AT GAZA HUMANITARIAN SITUATION AS ISRAEL WEIGHS NEXT STEPS

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands on a platform overlooking the Gaza Strip during his first visit to Kibbutz Nir Oz since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas terrorists where a significant number of this community were killed or captured, near the Israel-Gaza border in southern Israel, on Thursday, July 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

«Expelling Jews from their homes in their own country was a strategic and moral mistake that led to the rise of an Islamist terrorist regime called Hamas,» he said. «That mistake enabled Hamas to fire relentless rockets and ultimately carry out the October 7 massacre — which included murder, rape, abuse, looting, and, of course, the kidnapping of soldiers and civilians.»

Wasserlauf invoked the bloc of 17 Israeli communities, collectively known as Gush Katif, which was established in Gaza after the 1967 Six-Day War. In August 2005, as part of Israel’s unilateral disengagement, the government forcibly removed approximately 8,600 Jewish residents from the area.

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He said reapplying Israeli sovereignty «would send a clear message: whoever strikes us loses the ground beneath his feet. Only in this way can true deterrence be achieved,» Wasserlauf continued. «We need to create facts on the ground. There must be no agreements with terrorists. Settlement in Gaza must, at the very least, be the price that reminds everyone terrorism does not pay.»

From 1948 to 1967, the Gaza Strip was under Egyptian occupation. After Israel captured the territory in the 1967 Six-Day War, it remained under full Israeli control until 1994, when administrative responsibility was transferred to the Palestinian Authority under the Oslo Accords — paving the way for Yasser Arafat’s return from exile in Tunis.

Hamas terrorits

Hamas terrorists emerge from the shadows as they surround Red Cross vehicles. (TPS-IL)

In 2005, Israel evacuated all military personnel and civilian communities from Gaza. Shortly thereafter, Hamas won the Palestinian legislative elections and staged a violent coup to overthrow the Palestinian Authority and seize control of the Strip.

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A year after Israel unilaterally disengaged from Gaza, evacuating all military personnel and civilian communities, Hamas won the Palestinian legislative elections and, shortly thereafter, staged a violent coup to overthrow the Palestinian Authority and seize control of the Strip.

Wasserlauf argued that critics of the disengagement had long warned that any concession of land would only embolden terrorists. These warnings, he said, were ignored, but ultimately proven correct by the events that followed.

He acknowledged that renewed settlement in Gaza would likely trigger political backlash both domestically and abroad. «The countries that support us will stand with us, and those that consistently oppose us will remain against us … I remind you that there were countries that urged us not to strike Iran, despite its race toward nuclear weapons and its explicit goal of destroying Israel.»

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BROTHER OF ISRAELI HOSTAGE URGES UN TO ACT AFTER VIDEO SHOWS HAMAS STARVING AND TORTURING CAPTIVES

The Israeli settlement of Pa'at Sadeh is seen Dec. 26, 2004 in the southern Gaza Strip.

The Israeli settlement of Pa’at Sadeh is seen Dec. 26, 2004 in the southern Gaza Strip.

Brig. Gen. (Res.) Amir Avivi told Fox News Digital that Israel’s core national security doctrine of deterrence is being tested by jihadist groups like Hamas, which operate according to a radically different set of rules.

Avivi, founder and chairman of the Israel Defense and Security Forum, said that Israel’s approach to Gaza may ultimately hinge on U.S. support, especially from President Donald Trump. «If the U.S. president advocates for massive relocation and taking control of Gaza to implement his own vision, it would suggest some kind of basic understanding between the two sides,» Avivi said.

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He estimated that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) currently controls about 75% of Gaza, with past decisions largely driven by military considerations. However, he said that the remaining 25% of the territory involves broader strategic decisions, shaped by how Israel and the United States view the future of the area, including Jewish settlement.

Maj. Gen. (Res.) Yaakov Amidror, a former national security adviser, told Fox News Digital that resettling Gaza should not be part of Israel’s agenda.

LTG Eyal Zamir

Chief of the General Staff LTG Eyal Zamir conducted a field tour in the Rafah area of the Gaza Strip. Zamir spoke with soldiers and was presented with defensive preparations and operational plans. (IDF)

«We have one mission now, and that is to dismantle Hamas,» he said. «We’ll talk about the day after, the day after. To bring back any level of normalcy to Gaza, we need to find partners — and I don’t know who those partners would be if we settle in Gaza.»

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SHE FED 100K GAZAN FAMILIES FOR FREE – NOW TERRORISTS AND LOCAL MERCHANTS WANT HER DEAD

Amidror, a distinguished fellow with the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, said that Israel must in the long-term remain solely responsible for security in Gaza, citing past failures when control was transferred to the Palestinians after the Oslo Accords. He argued that reestablishing settlements could complicate that mission, asserting that security should remain solely in the hands of the IDF.

Religious Zionism lawmaker Simcha Rothman told Fox News Digital that «If we are trying to achieve peace, any agreement or situation in which Jews cannot live in their ancient homeland is not just,» but acknowledged it is not one of Israel’s official war objectives. «While resettling Gaza is the right thing to do, it is not part of the current effort.»

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Maj. Gen. (ret.) Amos Yadlin, former head of IDF Military Intelligence, reiterated that resettling Gaza is not part of the Israeli government’s declared war objectives.

«If Israel needs to reoccupy Gaza militarily, it should be to destroy Hamas and bring back the hostages — not to annex Gaza as part of Israel. There are 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, maybe more,» Yadlin, who is currently president of MIND Israel, told Fox News Digital.

memorial at Nova music festival

Memorials at the site of the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack on the Supernova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im, Israel, on Monday, May 27, 2024. (Kobi Wolf/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

«Israel does not want to rule over them or provide for all their needs. It would cost billions and alter the demographic balance. This idea is being pushed by right-wing elements in the government, and even the prime minister and his party do not support it,» he said.

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Daniella Weiss, general director of the Nachala Settlement Movement, told Fox News Digital that the aftermath of Hamas’s October 7 attack signals the start of a new era. «I think we should go much further than what existed in 2005. Back then, we were 10,000 people in Gaza. Our movement, Nachala, has proposed a plan for 1.2 million Jews in Gaza,» Weiss said.

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Israelis march from Sderot toward the northern border of Gaza, calling for the re-establishment of settlements in the territory, on July 30, 2025 in Israel.

Israelis march from Sderot toward the northern border of Gaza, calling for the re-establishment of settlements in the territory, on July 30, 2025 in Israel. (Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images)

She said her organization is already taking tangible steps to begin the process, «We’ve organized six groups of young families—more than 1,000 families—who are willing to move to Gaza now,» she said.

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While Weiss expressed regret that the Israeli government has not included Jewish resettlement in its official war objectives, she insisted that in Israel’s democracy, public pressure can influence government policy.

«The basic truth is that the Gaza area is part of the western Negev,» she said. «Historically, it was part of the area of the tribe of Yehuda. To turn your back on that is wrong.»

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