Israel has conveyed serious security concerns to the White House regarding the ceasefire plan brokered by former U.S. President Donald Trump. Prime Minister's Office spokesperson Doron Spielman stressed in a statement to the Associated Press that Israeli forces will not withdraw from the Gaza Strip until Hamas is fully disarmed.
Spielman said Israeli intelligence assessments indicate that Hamas is focusing on rebuilding its military capabilities rather than genuinely disarming. "According to our assessment, if we redeploy before Hamas is truly disarmed, it will rapidly expand its presence throughout 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 vast 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 the reconstruction of the war-ravaged region.
According to the agreement text obtained and verified by the Associated Press, weapons held by Hamas-controlled police will be handed over to the U.S.-backed Gaza Administration National Committee after it takes control of the area. The agreement provides for the phased decommissioning 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.
Israeli officials believe the arrangement does not sufficiently address their security concerns. Spielman said they are relying on intelligence assessments showing that despite months of negotiations, Hamas has continued to recruit fighters, rebuild its military infrastructure, and arm itself. While appreciating Trump's commitment to Israel's security, he stressed that any Israeli military withdrawal will only take place after Hamas verifiably surrenders all its weapons.
The White House declined to offer additional comment on Sunday regarding Israel's assessment that Hamas is rebuilding its military capabilities. U.S. officials noted that Israel was consulted at every stage of the negotiations and that no commitments were sought beyond the ceasefire and hostage release agreement reached last October.
The exact nature of the concerns Israel conveyed to the White House has not been clarified. Sources close to the negotiations said Israel also communicated its reservations through former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who serves on Trump's Peace Board. Among Israel's demands is the continued freedom to conduct military operations inside Gaza if deemed necessary.
According to another source, Israeli officials opposed any role for Qatar and Turkey in verifying the implementation of the agreement, and insisted that weapons seized from Hamas should be destroyed rather than merely stored after being collected.
Israel currently controls more than 60 percent of the Gaza Strip. Much of the area under its control is heavily damaged and largely depopulated. Most of Gaza's roughly two million residents live in the remaining areas in overcrowded tent camps and devastated neighborhoods.
Political considerations could also complicate implementation of the agreement. Netanyahu faces parliamentary elections in October. His far-right coalition partners want sustained military pressure on Hamas and a continued Israeli security presence in Gaza, while opposition parties accuse Netanyahu of failing to prevent the October 7, 2023 attack. The Hamas-led attack killed around 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and 251 were taken hostage.
