Israel has formally expressed serious reservations regarding the recently announced U.S.-brokered disarmament deal involving Hamas. Doron Spielman, a spokesperson for the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, provided some of the first public government remarks since U.S. President Donald Trump announced the agreement. Spielman informed The Associated Press that Israel’s intelligence assessment indicates that Hamas remains fundamentally committed to rebuilding its military infrastructure rather than pursuing genuine demilitarization. Consequently, the Israeli military maintains that it will not withdraw from the more than 60% of Gaza territory it currently controls until Hamas has been fully disarmed.
"Our assessment is that if we redeploy before Hamas is truly disarmed, it will quickly expand its presence throughout Gaza, rebuild its terrorist infrastructure, once again threaten Israeli communities, and seek to carry out another Oct. 7-style attack," Spielman stated. He was referring to the Hamas-led militant attack on Israel in 2023 that served as the catalyst for the current war in the Gaza Strip. Emphasizing the Israeli government's strict interpretation of the terms, Spielman added, "Disarming means physically giving up the weapons. Nothing less."
These comments follow an announcement from Hamas days earlier, in which the group stated it would begin disarming as part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire signed nine months ago to conclude the nearly three-year-long conflict. While the agreement represents a potential breakthrough, it is accompanied by numerous hurdles, conditions, and extended timelines. President Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan mandates that the militant group surrender its weapons and destroy its extensive network of tunnels. The framework also envisions a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the arrival of a new technocratic Palestinian government, the deployment of an international security force, and the eventual rebuilding of the battered Palestinian enclave.
According to a copy of the agreement verified by the AP, all weapons currently held by the Hamas-run police are to be transferred to a U.S.-backed Palestinian technocratic committee, known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, upon its arrival in the territory. The exact timing of this transition remains unclear, as it is contingent upon several other prerequisite steps. Furthermore, the process to decommission and store heavy weaponry and dismantle military production sites and tunnels is scheduled to begin only after the arrival of the Palestinian committee and the deployment of international forces, with the entire process linked to a phased Israeli withdrawal.
The regions currently under Israeli control in Gaza have been largely destroyed and depopulated. Meanwhile, the majority of the territory's 2 million Palestinians remain in the other part of the enclave, where hundreds of thousands are living in squalid tent camps and destroyed neighborhoods. The political climate in Israel remains complex, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a difficult reelection battle ahead of October elections. His far-right coalition partners are actively urging him to maintain military pressure and keep forces stationed in Gaza, while his political opponents continue to accuse him of failing to prevent the Oct. 7, 2023, attack.
During that 2023 assault, Hamas-led militants attacked Israeli communities, killing approximately 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and taking 251 others hostage. Israel’s subsequent military offensive has resulted in the deaths of more than 73,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. This ministry, which was part of the recently dissolved Hamas-run government, maintains records that are generally viewed as reliable by U.N. agencies and international organizations. While the ministry does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its reporting, it notes that women and children account for roughly half of all fatalities.
Despite Spielman stating that Israel greatly appreciates President Trump’s commitment to its security and the pursuit of a durable resolution, the government’s position on disarmament remains firm, grounded in detailed intelligence that Hamas continues to rearm, recruit fighters, and rebuild its military capabilities. When asked specifically about Israel’s assessment regarding Hamas's commitment to rebuilding its military, the White House did not provide additional comments on Sunday. U.S. officials, who briefed reporters on the disarmament agreement last week, asserted that Israel had been consulted at every stage of the negotiations and was not being asked to do anything beyond what it had already committed to in the ceasefire and hostage release agreement signed last October. Since that initial ceasefire was signed, Israel has continued to conduct strikes in Gaza, stating that it is targeting Hamas operatives and its infrastructure.
