Israel Voices Concerns to U.S. on Gaza Plan Amid Hamas Rearming Claims

Israel has communicated its reservations about a Gaza plan championed by U.S. President Donald Trump, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office asserting that the publicly available framework does not represent Israel's stance. The announcement follows Hamas's claim of agreeing to the next phase of a deal, which reportedly includes disarmament.

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Israel has conveyed its comments and concerns on the proposed framework to our American counterparts. The version that has been made public does not reflect Israel's positions.

Doron Spielman, a spokesman for the prime minister's office, told AFP that Israel has shared its comments and concerns with American counterparts. He indicated that Israeli intelligence has gathered evidence of Hamas rearming and recruiting forces since a ceasefire was announced by Trump in October. Despite this ceasefire reducing the level of violence, Israel has continued its airstrikes.

Trump had hailed Hamas's agreement to disarm as a "major milestone" in efforts to end the conflict that began with the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. He had also stated that Israel was "very happy" with the developments.

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Israel has conveyed its comments and concerns on the proposed framework to our American counterparts. The version that has been made public does not reflect Israel's positions.

However, Netanyahu's spokesman countered that Hamas's actions demonstrate preparations for "further Oct 7-style massacres." He highlighted that the plan released by Trump's Board of Peace envisions Gaza as a "deradicalised terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbours." This vision, he argued, directly contradicts Hamas's stated intentions and the current reality on the ground.

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Hamas had been rearming and recruiting forces since a ceasefire announced by Trump in October.

Spielman emphasized that the "indispensable first step toward any lasting arrangement is the genuine, verifiable and irreversible demilitarisation of Hamas." He warned that anything less than full demilitarization would leave Hamas capable of threatening Israel again. An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, added that Israel, which maintains control over most of the Gaza Strip, would not withdraw its forces under the plan without verifying Hamas's disarmament. Palestinian authorities reported that Israeli attacks killed at least 13 people on Sunday.

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Hamas had been rearming and recruiting forces since a ceasefire announced by Trump in October.