Israel conveyed "serious security concerns" to the White House regarding the ceasefire plan brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump that envisions Hamas’ disarmament. Israeli Prime Ministry Spokesperson Doron Spielman, in a statement to the Associated Press, emphasized that Israeli forces will not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed.
Spielman stated that Israeli intelligence assessments show Hamas is focused on rebuilding its military capabilities rather than genuinely disarming. “According to our assessment, if we redeploy before Hamas actually disarms, it will quickly expand its presence across Gaza, rebuild its terror infrastructure, once again threaten Israeli communities, and attempt to carry out another October 7-style attack,” he said.
The 20-point ceasefire plan announced by Trump last week calls for Hamas to surrender its weapons, destroy its extensive tunnel network, and establish a new Palestinian technocratic administration in Gaza. The plan also includes a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces, the deployment of an international security force, and reconstruction of the war-ravaged region.
According to the agreement text obtained and verified by the Associated Press, weapons in the hands of Hamas-controlled police will be transferred to the U.S.-backed Gaza Administration National Committee after it takes over control in the region. The agreement envisions the phased disabling and storage of heavy weapons, the dismantling of military production facilities, and the destruction of tunnel infrastructure. These steps will be linked to Israel’s phased military withdrawals.
However, Israeli officials believe the arrangement does not sufficiently address their security concerns. Spielman said they are relying on intelligence assessments indicating that Hamas continues to recruit fighters, rebuild its military infrastructure and arm itself despite months of negotiations. While appreciating Trump’s commitment to Israel’s security, he stressed that the Israeli military withdrawal will only take place after Hamas verifiably surrenders all its weapons.
The White House declined to comment further on Sunday regarding Israel’s assessment that Hamas is rebuilding its military capabilities. U.S. officials stated that Israel was consulted at every stage of the negotiations and that no commitments were sought beyond the ceasefire and hostage release deal reached last October.
It remains unclear exactly what concerns Israel conveyed to the White House. Sources close to the negotiations said Israel also communicated its reservations through former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who serves on Trump’s Peace Council. Among Israel’s demands is the continued freedom to conduct military operations inside Gaza if deemed necessary.
According to another source, Israeli officials objected to giving any role to Qatar and Turkey in verifying the implementation of the agreement and insisted that weapons seized from Hamas must be destroyed, not merely stored after collection.
Israel currently controls more than 60 percent of the Gaza Strip. Much of the territory under its control is heavily damaged and largely depopulated. Most of Gaza’s population of around two million lives in overcrowded tent camps and devastated neighborhoods in the remaining areas.
Political considerations may also complicate the agreement’s implementation. Netanyahu faces parliamentary elections in October. While his far-right coalition partners demand continued military pressure on Hamas and the maintenance of an Israeli security presence in Gaza, opposition parties accuse Netanyahu of failing to prevent the October 7, 2023 attack. The Hamas-led attack killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in Israel, and 251 were taken hostage.
