Israel Says It Has Serious Concerns with Hamas Disarmament Deal

Israel has voiced "serious security concerns" to the White House over a proposed disarmament deal with Hamas, according to an Israeli official. Doron Spielman, spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, indicated that Israel's intelligence suggests Hamas intends to rebuild its military capabilities rather than genuinely disarm. "Disarming means physically giving up the weapons. Nothing less," Spielman stated, emphasizing Israel's stance. He further asserted that the Israeli military will not withdraw from Gaza, where it controls over 60% of the territory, until Hamas is fully disarmed. Spielman warned that a premature redeployment would allow Hamas to expand its presence, rebuild its infrastructure, and potentially launch another attack similar to the Oct. 7 assault that initiated the current war. The comments follow Hamas's announcement that it would begin disarming as part of a US-brokered ceasefire agreement signed nine months ago. This agreement, detailed in a copy obtained by the Associated Press, outlines a phased approach. It includes the transfer of weapons held by Hamas-run police to a US-backed Palestinian technocratic committee, the decommissioning of heavy weapons, and the dismantling of military sites and tunnels. These steps are reportedly linked to a phased Israeli withdrawal. However, significant hurdles and uncertain timelines remain, particularly concerning the arrival of the Palestinian committee and the deployment of international forces. The situation in Gaza remains dire, with most of the territory's 2 million Palestinians living in crowded conditions amidst widespread destruction.

“

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 Oct. 7-style attack.