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https://www.axios.com/2025/12/15/israel-violate-ceasefire-gaza-strike-trump
The White House sent a stern private message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressing that the killing of a top Hamas military commander over the weekend constituted a violation of the ceasefire agreement brokered by President Trump, two U.S. officials tell Axios.
Why it matters: The angry message from the White House comes amid growing tensions between the Trump administration and the Netanyahu government around the next phase of the agreement to end the war in Gaza and over Israel's broader regional policy.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner have become very frustrated with Netanyahu, according to the two U.S. officials.
Netanyahu is expected to meet Trump in Mar-a-Lago on December 29.
Driving the news: On Saturday, Israel killed Raed Saad, the deputy commander of Hamas' military wing and one of the alleged architects of the Oct. 7 attacks. The attack in Gaza City killed four people in total.
U.S. officials said the Israeli government didn't notify or consult the U.S. ahead of the strike.
Behind the scenes: "The White House message to Netanyahu was: 'If you want to ruin your reputation and show that you don't abide by agreements be our guest, but we won't allow you to ruin President Trump's reputation after he brokered the deal in Gaza," a senior U.S. official said.
An Israeli official confirmed the White House was unhappy but claimed the message was milder — that "certain Arab countries" consider it a ceasefire violation. According to the U.S. officials, the White House was unequivocal that Israel had violated the ceasefire.
The White House sent a stern private message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressing that the killing of a top Hamas military commander over the weekend constituted a violation of the ceasefire agreement brokered by President Trump, two U.S. officials tell Axios.
Why it matters: The angry message from the White House comes amid growing tensions between the Trump administration and the Netanyahu government around the next phase of the agreement to end the war in Gaza and over Israel's broader regional policy.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner have become very frustrated with Netanyahu, according to the two U.S. officials.
Netanyahu is expected to meet Trump in Mar-a-Lago on December 29.
Driving the news: On Saturday, Israel killed Raed Saad, the deputy commander of Hamas' military wing and one of the alleged architects of the Oct. 7 attacks. The attack in Gaza City killed four people in total.
U.S. officials said the Israeli government didn't notify or consult the U.S. ahead of the strike.
Behind the scenes: "The White House message to Netanyahu was: 'If you want to ruin your reputation and show that you don't abide by agreements be our guest, but we won't allow you to ruin President Trump's reputation after he brokered the deal in Gaza," a senior U.S. official said.
An Israeli official confirmed the White House was unhappy but claimed the message was milder — that "certain Arab countries" consider it a ceasefire violation. According to the U.S. officials, the White House was unequivocal that Israel had violated the ceasefire.
