Israel tells White House of 'serious security concerns' over Hamas rearmament

Israel has communicated significant security concerns to the White House regarding the potential for Hamas to rearm, particularly in the context of a proposed ceasefire plan for Gaza. The Israeli Prime Minister's office spokesperson, Doron Spielman, stated that based on Israeli intelligence assessments, Hamas is focused on rebuilding its military capabilities rather than genuine demilitarization.

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Hamas is committed to rebuilding its military, not true demilitarization.

Spielman asserted that the Israeli military will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed. He warned that any redeployment of Israeli forces before this condition is met would allow Hamas to rapidly expand its influence and reconstruct its terror infrastructure, posing a renewed threat to Israeli communities, referencing the October 7 attacks.

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The Israeli army will not withdraw from the Gaza Strip before the complete disarmament of Hamas.

Israel's position, as articulated by Spielman, defines disarmament as the physical abandonment of weapons, with no room for rearmament. This stance underscores Israel's demand for a concrete and verifiable process of demilitarization before considering any troop withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

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If the Israeli army redeploys before Hamas is disarmed, Hamas will quickly expand its influence throughout the Gaza Strip and rebuild its terror infrastructure, threatening Israeli communities once again.

The comments come amid ongoing discussions and mediation efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza, with the United States playing a central role. The specifics of Hamas's response to the proposed agreement, particularly concerning its military capabilities and future intentions, remain a critical point of contention in the negotiations.

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Disarmament means physically giving up weapons. Nothing more, nothing less.