The meeting of the butchers
WASHINGTON — In a move that sidelines Palestinian representation, President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met at the White House on September 29 to unveil a U.Sorchestrated 20-point plan for Gaza. The proposal, which the White House claims could bring an immediate end to the ''war'', was accepted by Netanyahu but presented to Hamas as a take-it-or-leave-it ultimatum, with the Israeli leader vowing to resume military operations if the group does not comply.
"Aftermath" shows what's left of a city after war has torn through it. Looking down from above, you see broken apartment buildings—some collapsed into piles of concrete and bent metal, others with gaping holes where walls used to be. But even in all this destruction, there are small signs that people once lived here: maybe an old clothesline still hanging between buildings, moving gently in the wind, or a tiny figure in red walking through the ruins.The strangest part is the peaceful blue sky overhead—it looks so calm and normal, like nothing terrible ever happened. The whole scene is painted in quiet, dusty colors—grays and browns that make you think of the dust that settles after everything falls down.It's a painting that makes you feel sad but also makes you think about how quickly the places we call home can be broken, and how precious our everyday lives really are.
The Trump administration's plan, drafted in coordination with Netanyahu's top adviser and Jared Kushner, links the delivery of essential aid and the withdrawal of Israeli forces to the complete demilitarization of Gaza. While promising a temporary technocratic government for the territory and eventual reconstruction, the plan would impose a foreign-led authority, the "Board of Peace," to be chaired by Trump himself, and allow the Israeli army to maintain a security perimeter inside Gaza indefinitely.
Senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Mardawi told Al Jazeera that the group had not received details of the proposal prior to its public announcement and that "no Palestinian will accept" a plan that negates their right to self-determination. Analysts note the framework offers a nebulous mention of possible future Palestinian statehood only after Gaza is redeveloped and the Palestinian Authority is reformed.
Global Outcry and Activist Crackdown
As September ended and October began, Israel killed 2,106 Palestinians in Gaza, with 85 slain just this morning. In a separate incident, the Israeli military intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla near the coast of Gaza, kidnapping approximately 500 activists who were attempting to break the siege and deliver food. The army used excessive force, attempting to sink the small vessels by pumping large amounts of water into them while activists were still on board. The fates of many activists, including those identified as Thiago, Yasmina, and Greta, remain dubious, sparking protests in Berlin and the shutdown of the central train station in Naples in solidarity.
Israel's $7,000-A-Post Propaganda Machine
Meanwhile, an investigation has revealed that the Israeli government is secretly bankrolling a vast social media influence campaign to shape Western public opinion. Through a Washington D.C.-based firm, Bridge Partners, Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is paying Western influencers up to $7,000 per post on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. The covert operation, codenamed the "Esther Project," has a budget of $900,000 and is designed to spread pro-Israel narratives and obscure the situation in Gaza. At a closed-door meeting, Prime Minister Netanyahu personally endorsed the strategy, stating, "We have to fight back. How do we fight back? Our influencers... they are very important".
A World's Shame and Shifting Alliances
The international community faces a test of conscience. World governments are being called to account for allowing Israel to kidnack their own citizens from international waters. In a significant move, Colombia has just canceled its free trade agreement with Israel and expelled the Israeli diplomatic mission, a natural response to the genocide in Gaza and the seizure of the Sumud Flotilla. As 20 boats from the flotilla continue to sail toward Gaza, the world watches to see if the siege will finally be broken.
What Happened in Qatar?
It is undeniable that Qatar has played a key role in mediating between Israel and Palestinian factions, as well as providing news and awareness through Al Jazeera. To avoid dismissing both the achievements and the shortcomings, it is important to first acknowledge these facts. Second, one can hope that Qatari authorities and Al Jazeera are willing to hear and reflect on what follows.
Following the Israeli strike on Qatar and the survival of Hamas leaders, or at least some of them sources close to the matter indicate that Doha’s strategic focus has shifted toward its internal security. Under this new approach, the Palestinian issue has become secondary. Some Hamas leaders have reportedly been placed under movement restrictions or what amounts to house arrest until there is acceptance of the Trump plan. From this perspective, the Israeli strike may not have targeted Hamas leaders per se, but rather aimed to send a clear signal to the Qatari leadership: the limits of political and military support for Palestinian factions cannot exceed Doha’s security interests, and any engagement in direct confrontation with Israel, or deviation from U.S. priorities, could prove extremely costly.
This pressure has also affected Doha’s media and analytical discourse, particularly via Al Jazeera. Observers have noted a gradual shift in coverage and commentary, moving from support for armed resistance toward an emphasis on political solutions and Doha’s security priorities. For instance, some Qatari analysts have shifted from affirming resistance to framing it as a negotiable matter, or criticizing those who oppose the Trump plan as uncooperative with regional strategies. Some have even gone so far as to dismiss the role of armed resistance as a minor detail—remarkable coming from analysts claiming expertise in crisis management.
Consequently, U.S. pressure on Qatar serves as a carefully executed example of using influence over small states to reshape the positions of regional actors, facilitating the adoption of political initiatives like the Trump plan while preserving Doha’s internal stability and avoiding direct confrontation with Israel. The episode illustrates the interconnected nature of military, political, and media leverage: despite its prominent role as a mediator and media hub, Qatar no longer enjoys absolute freedom in determining its support for Palestinian factions. It seems that while the Israeli Air Force’s long arm could not defeat resistance in Gaza, it has effectively outmaneuvered Qatar’s media long arm .