Israel conveys 'serious security concerns' to US on Hamas disarmament plan

Israel has voiced "serious security concerns" to the White House about a US-brokered deal to disarm Hamas, according to an Israeli official. Doron Spielman, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, stated that Hamas remains committed to rebuilding its military capabilities rather than genuinely disarming.

Spielman emphasized that Israeli forces will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas lays down its weapons. "Our assessment is that if we redeploy before Hamas is truly disarmed, it will quickly expand its presence throughout Gaza, rebuild its terrorist infrastructure, once again threaten Israeli communities, and seek to carry out another October 7-style attack," he told AP, referencing the Hamas attack that triggered the current war.

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Our assessment is that if we redeploy before Hamas is truly disarmed, it will quickly expand its presence throughout Gaza, rebuild its terrorist infrastructure, once again threaten Israeli communities, and seek to carry out another October 7-style attack.

The remarks come after Hamas announced it would begin disarming as part of a ceasefire agreement reached nine months ago. The US-proposed plan requires Hamas to surrender weapons and dismantle tunnels, alongside an Israeli withdrawal, a new Palestinian government, and reconstruction efforts. However, significant obstacles and lengthy timelines remain.

Withdrawal appears unlikely before Israel's October elections, with Netanyahu facing pressure from far-right coalition partners to continue military operations. Opponents, meanwhile, blame his government for failing to prevent the October 7 attack, which killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 abducted. Israel's subsequent military campaign has resulted in over 73,000 deaths, according to the Gaza health ministry.

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Disarming means physically giving up the weapons. Nothing less.