Israel holds off on next phase of Trump Gaza plan as Shin Bet warns Hamas seeking to ‘trap Israel’

Israel has withheld formal approval of the US-backed roadmap for the next phase of President Donald Trump's Gaza plan, facing internal opposition and security warnings that Hamas intends to exploit the process. The delay stems from significant objections within the security cabinet, where ministers are pushing back against a proposed 14-day preparatory period and demanding concrete guarantees that Hamas will disarm.

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Hamas views the proposed demilitarization process as a strategic opportunity to buy time and constrain Israel rather than as a path toward genuinely giving up its military capabilities.

Shin Bet Director David Zini informed ministers that Hamas views the proposed demilitarization as a strategic opportunity to gain time and restrict Israel's military capabilities, rather than a genuine path to disarmament. Zini characterized the roadmap as a "diplomatic October 7" for Hamas, allowing them to achieve politically what they failed to achieve militarily. He suggested Hamas is stalling, anticipating Israel's upcoming elections and hoping to prevent military operations during that period.

Sources cited by The Jerusalem Post indicate Zini previously told the security cabinet that Hamas sees the agreement as a way to "trap Israel" and curtail its operational freedom in Gaza. "They are dragging their feet," Zini reportedly stated, "They are waiting for the elections, and then they will see what happens."

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From Hamas’s perspective, the roadmap amounted to a “diplomatic October 7,” allowing the terrorist organization to achieve politically what it had failed to achieve militarily.

The core dispute revolves around the 14-day preparatory phase, which Israeli officials believe would necessitate restrictions on military operations, including targeted strikes against Hamas operatives. Reports suggest Israel has raised significant objections to these proposed arrangements, highlighting a continuing divergence between Jerusalem and Washington on how the next phase should commence. Israel insists on genuine and verifiable demilitarization, asserting that Hamas cannot be allowed to dictate terms.

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They are dragging their feet. They are waiting for the elections, and then they will see what happens.