Israel has expressed significant security concerns to the White House regarding a proposed disarmament agreement with Hamas, according to a spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The remarks were made amid continued Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, which killed at least 17 people, including children, over the weekend.
Doron Spielman, spokesperson for Netanyahu’s office, said Israel’s intelligence assessments indicate that Hamas remains committed to rebuilding its military capabilities rather than genuinely disarming. He emphasized that Israeli forces would not withdraw from Gaza—where they currently control over 60 percent of the territory—until Hamas has fully relinquished its weapons. “Disarming means physically giving up the weapons. Nothing less,” Spielman stated.
The comments come shortly after Hamas announced it would begin disarming under a ceasefire deal brokered by the United States nearly nine months ago to end nearly three years of conflict in Gaza. The proposed agreement, unveiled by former U.S. President Donald Trump earlier last week, outlines a phased process requiring Hamas to surrender its weapons, dismantle its network of tunnels, and allow for Israeli forces to withdraw. It also envisions the establishment of a technocratic Palestinian government, the deployment of an international security force, and reconstruction efforts in Gaza.
Despite this potential breakthrough, Israel’s concerns highlight ongoing challenges in implementation. Spielman warned that a premature Israeli redeployment could allow Hamas to quickly rebuild its terrorist infrastructure, posing renewed threats to Israeli communities. His office cited intelligence indicating that Hamas continues to rearm and recruit militants while expanding its military infrastructure.
A copy of the agreement obtained by news agencies shows that all weapons held by the Hamas-run police are to be transferred to the U.S.-backed Palestinian National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, which is due to take administrative control of the enclave. Following the committee’s arrival and the deployment of international forces, a process to decommission heavy weapons and dismantle military production sites and tunnels would commence.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. Most of the territory’s two million Palestinians reside in heavily damaged areas under Palestinian control, facing widespread destruction and displacement. The Israeli-controlled sectors have been largely depopulated and devastated. Gaza’s Health Ministry, affiliated with the now-dissolved Hamas government, reports that Israeli military operations since the October 2023 conflict have resulted in over 73,000 deaths, with women and children constituting around half of the fatalities. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and militants in its tallies.
Israel’s upcoming October elections factor into its current posture. Prime Minister Netanyahu faces a competitive race, with right-wing coalition partners demanding a continued hardline approach toward Hamas, including maintaining military presence in Gaza. Critics of Netanyahu accuse him of inadequate security measures that allowed the Hamas attack in October 2023, which left approximately 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 hostages taken.
The White House declined further comment but noted that Israel had been consulted throughout the negotiation process and that the ceasefire and hostage release agreement did not require additional Israeli actions beyond its commitments. Since the ceasefire, Israeli forces have continued airstrikes targeting Hamas infrastructure, with recent assaults including a strike on a residential building in southern Gaza that killed three family members, including a 4-year-old child, according to local hospitals. The Israeli military confirmed these operations targeted militant operatives.