Israel Won't Withdraw From Gaza Until Hamas Disarms
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- Israel shared "serious security concerns" with the White House over the proposed Hamas disarmament deal — among the first public comments since Trump announced the agreement on Thursday
- Doron Spielman, spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Minister's office, said Israel's intelligence assessment is that Hamas remains committed to rebuilding its military rather than genuinely demilitarizing, and that the Israeli military will not withdraw from Gaza (where it controls more than 60 per cent of the territory) before Hamas disarms
- Hamas said it would begin disarming only as Israeli troops leave Gaza, per the U.S.-brokered ceasefire signed nine months ago — a sequencing Israel has "categorically refused" to accept
- Israel communicated specific issues to former British PM Tony Blair, a member of Trump's Board of Peace, including wanting freedom to conduct military operations in Gaza, according to two people familiar with the deal
- Netanyahu appears unlikely to pull back forces ahead of Israel's October elections, with far-right coalition partners urging him to maintain pressure on Hamas and leave forces in Gaza
- Since the October ceasefire, Israeli strikes on Gaza have continued — overnight Saturday into Sunday, strikes killed at least 17 people including children, with the military saying it targeted Hamas operatives
Why it matters: With Netanyahu facing October elections and far-right coalition partners pushing him to maintain military pressure, Israel is unlikely to make concessions on disarmament terms — directly undermining the U.S.-brokered framework that depends on synchronized Israeli withdrawal and Hamas giving up weapons. The deadlock leaves the ceasefire's most critical condition unresolved nearly a year after it was signed, with more than 73,000 Palestinians killed per the Gaza Health Ministry.
