On a brisk December day in Jerusalem, Israeli President Isaac Herzog sat down with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, expressing gratitude for the ambassador’s pivotal role in advancing a recent U.N. Security Council resolution. This resolution formally codified President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, a blueprint that has become the centerpiece of international efforts to end the war in Gaza and shape the territory’s postwar future. The meeting, also attended by Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon, marked a critical moment in a process fraught with urgency, hope, and uncertainty.
“I want to thank you for supporting Israel at the United Nations with clear moral clarity,” Herzog told Waltz, according to a statement from the president’s office. The sentiment was more than just diplomatic courtesy—Israel’s leadership is acutely aware that the fate of the last hostage held in Gaza, Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili, hangs in the balance, and the world is watching closely.
As reported by The Times of Israel on December 11, 2025, Israel is still waiting for the return of Gvili’s remains, believed to be held by Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). For the second week in a row, a Friday afternoon gathering was held at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square in Gvili’s honor, underscoring the emotional weight his case carries for Israelis. The return of all hostages, living and deceased, was a cornerstone of the U.S.-backed ceasefire deal struck between Israel and Hamas in early October. Only once this painful chapter closes can the ceasefire move to its next, even more complex phase.
The next steps, however, are anything but straightforward. According to Axios, the Trump administration is planning to appoint an American two-star general to command the International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza—a multinational deployment that could include troops from Azerbaijan, Turkey, Indonesia, and Egypt, all of whom have shown interest in joining. The ISF is envisioned as a key mechanism for enforcing the demilitarization of Hamas and ensuring the group’s exclusion from Gaza’s future.
UN Ambassador Mike Waltz, during his visit to Israel this week, relayed the Trump administration’s intent to lead the ISF and discussed the ceasefire plan’s implementation with both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Herzog. As The Guardian noted, discussions about the composition of the Board of Peace—tasked with overseeing Gaza’s postwar management—are ongoing, with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair recently dropped from consideration. President Trump announced on December 10 that the Board’s members would be revealed early next year, signaling that the process, while advancing, is not without its delays.
Herzog, for his part, pressed for urgency. “We hope that the process will not take too long, because in the Middle East, if you wait for too long, then the vacuum fills in, and the rogue elements don’t rest for a moment,” he cautioned, as reported by The Times of Israel. The message was clear: time is of the essence, and regional stability is fragile.
Waltz echoed this sense of determination, affirming President Trump’s uncompromising stance on Hamas. “What has been clear, and I want to be clear, is Hamas has to go. President Trump has been clear, that’s going to happen the easy way or the hard way, but there will not be any more Hamas,” Waltz stated. The two leaders also pledged to work together to combat antisemitism and anti-Israel bias at the United Nations, while emphasizing the need to maintain maximum pressure on Iran, which continues to be seen by both Washington and Jerusalem as a destabilizing force in the region.
Meanwhile, on the ground in Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continue to face daily challenges as they administer roughly half of the territory, now demarcated by the so-called “Yellow Line.” On December 10, the IDF reported that several Israeli civilians had entered Gaza, only to be handed over to Israeli police. “The IDF emphasizes that any entry into a combat zone is prohibited,” the military stated, underscoring the risks and confusion that persist even as diplomatic efforts advance.
Security threats remain ever-present. On the same day, the IDF identified and eliminated two terrorists crossing the Yellow Line, which now serves as a forward defensive line for Israeli communities and a base for operational activity. In a separate incident on December 7, the IDF said it had eliminated another suspected terrorist. These ongoing security incidents highlight the volatility of the situation and the formidable obstacles to any lasting peace.
On December 7, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir visited Israeli troops in Gaza, conducting a situational assessment with senior commanders in northern sectors such as Beit Hanoun and Jabaliya. Zamir’s message to the troops was resolute: “We are operating to thwart and remove threats in all arenas. We will not tolerate threats against our troops, and we will respond to any attempt,” he said. “We will not allow Hamas to reestablish itself. We have operational control over extensive parts of the Gaza Strip, and we will remain on those defense lines. The Yellow Line is a new border line—serving as a forward defensive line for our communities and a line of operational activity.”
Amid the complex military and diplomatic maneuvering, the human dimension remains at the forefront. The weekly gatherings for Ran Gvili in Tel Aviv are a poignant reminder of the personal losses that underpin the broader geopolitical drama. For many Israelis, the fate of Gvili and the other hostages is not just a matter of national security but a deeply personal cause that unites the country in grief and resolve.
Diplomatic coordination between Israel and the United States remains robust. Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, emphasized that the two countries would continue to align their positions to advance shared values across diplomatic platforms. The focus, he said, will remain on ensuring the effective implementation of President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the War in Gaza, with the demilitarization of Hamas as a non-negotiable condition.
As discussions continue over the composition of the Board of Peace and the deployment of the ISF, all eyes are on the coming weeks and months. The stakes are high: the successful return of the last hostage, the establishment of a credible international force, and the prevention of a security vacuum that could be exploited by extremist groups. The path forward is fraught with challenges, but the determination of Israeli and American leaders to see the process through remains steadfast.
With regional stability hanging in the balance and every move scrutinized by a wary world, the coming phase in Gaza’s postwar future will test the resolve and ingenuity of all involved. For now, the hope is that the painful chapter of hostages and war will soon give way to a new era—one defined not by conflict, but by the promise of peace and reconstruction.
