Israel has indicated that ceasefire terms in Gaza will not advance unless Hamas fully disarms, following the return of all captives taken to the territory.
Hamas, however, has publicly rejected any plans to lay down its weapons. Two Hamas officials told Reuters this week that neither the United States nor mediators have presented a detailed or concrete proposal for disarmament.
Avi Dichter, a minister in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet and former head of Israel’s domestic intelligence service, warned that disagreements over disarmament could push Israel back into conflict.
“We have to get prepared for the war in Gaza,” Dichter told Reuters, adding that the issue of disarmament “will have to be solved by Israeli troops, the hard way.”
A White House document released last week under the Trump administration outlined plans for the immediate decommissioning of heavy weapons. It also called for personal arms to be registered and decommissioned by sector as Gaza’s interim police force develops the capacity to guarantee personal security.
