From the Liveblog of
Friday, November 7, 2025
Ministers said to oppose plan for ‘model’ Gazan city on Israeli side of Yellow Line
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GooglePrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly faced pushback from ministers during tonight’s cabinet meeting when he raised the US proposal to create a “model city” on the Israeli side of the Yellow Line in Gaza that will be demilitarized and rebuilt for Palestinians in the Strip.
Netanyahu said the goal of the city is to separate Hamas from the civilian population, who will be screened before being allowed to move into the newly constructed town, Ynet reports, relying on leaks from the cabinet meeting.
Several ministers pushed back on the idea, including Gila Gamliel, Orit Strock, Ze’ev Elkin and Miri Regev, claiming that it wouldn’t be safe for such a city to exist on the Israeli side of the Yellow Line, according to Ynet.
Netanyahu reportedly replied that the International Stabilization Force would first be deployed in the Mawasi coastal area on the side of the Yellow Line that is de facto run by Hamas.
Arab diplomats have told The Times of Israel that the US is indeed looking to deploy the ISF on the Hamas side of the Yellow Line, but it’s unclear whether countries will be willing to contribute troops if the mandate of the force will be disarming Hamas through kinetic force.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff said earlier Thursday that Washington is working on a decommissioning and amnesty program for Hamas fighters that won’t require the use of force, although it’s far from clear that Hamas will agree to such an initiative. Witkoff claimed that its leaders did so during a meeting last month, hours before the ceasefire was reached.
Apparently recognizing the pressure from Washington to allow the safe passage of Hamas fighters holed up on the Israeli side of the Yellow Line, Defense Minister Israel Katz proposed during the cabinet meeting that the terror operatives be exiled outside of Gaza. However, he received pushback from IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who said the terror operatives can either surrender or die, Ynet reports.
The Times of Israel Community.