A U.S.-backed proposal to disarm Hamas in Gaza is entering its final stage, with the terrorist group expected to give its answer this month in a decision that could open the way to reconstruction or push the territory closer to another round of war, a senior official from the Board of Peace set up by U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday.
“Soon we will know whether there will be agreed disarmament or whether things are headed in a bad direction,” the official told ynet. “These are the final stages of the deliberations.”
Armed Hamas terrorist cell struck in Gaza
(Video: IDF)
The proposed plan comes as fighting continues in Iran and Lebanon, and amid doubts in Israel that Hamas will agree to give up its weapons.
Israeli officials are skeptical, saying Hamas may be trying to buy time and tighten its grip on Gaza while Israel remains focused on its military campaigns elsewhere. According to Israeli assessments, Hamas is recruiting operatives, reinforcing its governing control in the territory and attempting to rebuild its rocket-production capacity.
“There is agreement from all sides on the process, and they are waiting for Hamas to announce this month whether it agrees to disarm,” the senior official said. “They have surprised positively in the past, for example, with the release of the hostages. On disarmament, we will go from heavy to light: starting with production labs and rocket workshops, then they will have to hand over the locations of tunnels, and finally the small arms.”
Under the plan, implementation would be overseen by a joint force made up of Palestinian security personnel and an International Stabilization Force, or ISF. But the official said ISF teams are not expected to arrive in the coming weeks because of the war involving Iran.
Oversight is also meant to come from a Palestinian technocratic committee that would administer Gaza, but that body is not expected to enter the territory until Hamas gives its response.
“This is not a matter of months but of weeks,” the official said. “I do not see Israel rushing to carry out a military operation in Gaza while the campaign with Iran is ongoing, and certainly not before Hamas gives a negative answer. Israel has no interest in a military operation if there is a peaceful solution.”
What alternatives does Hamas have?
“To die or accept amnesty. The logic is clear. Hamas members will be able to remain in Gaza, but not be part of the security services. They will have to give real reconstruction a chance.”
What about physical reconstruction in Gaza?
“Work on the plans is continuing as usual. Reconstruction will not begin until disarmament begins, but planning continues, meetings are being held with contractors, and infrastructure and construction systems are being prepared. All of this is happening in parallel. There is no delay. Everything is based on the assumption that there will be voluntary disarmament.”
Will armed militias in Gaza also have to disarm?
“Yes. There will be only one armed body: a local police force with ISF support.”
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High Representative for Gaza Nikolay Mladenov and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
(Photo: GPO)
The Board of Peace’s plan was delivered to Hamas by High Representative for Gaza Nikolay Mladenov. It is designed to unfold over eight months in five stages under the principle of “one authority, one law, one weapon,” meaning only the technocratic committee would be authorized to determine who may possess weapons.
In the first stage, lasting 15 days, the committee would assume security and administrative control of Gaza.
In the second stage, over about six weeks, Israel would remove heavy weapons from areas under its control and an international force would deploy in the territory.
In the third stage, lasting about 60 days, Hamas would hand over its heavy weapons and its tunnels would be destroyed.
In the fourth stage, expected to begin about three months into the process and last about five months, Hamas’ small arms would be collected and Israeli forces would begin a gradual withdrawal from Gaza.
In the final stage, set to begin 250 days after implementation starts, the disarmament would be fully verified, Israel would complete its withdrawal and reconstruction of Gaza would begin.