Israeli Officials: We Need an "Operational Plan" to Disarm Hamas

Leading Israeli military officials have called for an "independent operational plan" to disarm the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, according to press reports. A report by Israel's Channel 12 stated that Hamas "continues to consolidate its control in the Gaza Strip, ignoring calls for its disarmament."

1. Warnings from the Israeli Security Establishment

• Rebuilding Power and Control: The security establishment reportedly warned the cabinet that Hamas is "bolstering its power and rebuilding its capabilities," returning to "near-total control" of the Gaza Strip.

• Return of Civil and Security Activity:

  • Municipalities: 13 out of 25 municipalities in the Strip have "returned to full activity."

  • Security Presence: Hamas has once again deployed police and checkpoints.

  • Infrastructure: Hamas is working to "repair critical infrastructure" in Gaza.

2. Call for an Independent Israeli Plan

• Need for an Operational Plan: Senior Israeli military officials warned against "ignoring the fact that Hamas is bolstering and restoring its capabilities in the Gaza Strip."

• Rejecting the US Solution: They explained that, in their view, "Israel needs to establish an independent operational plan to disarm the Gaza Strip, because the American plan does not offer a solution for this."

3. Field and Diplomatic Developments

• Clashes in Rafah: On Tuesday evening, the Israeli military said it killed 5 gunmen who "likely" emerged from a tunnel in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.

• Truce Negotiations: Delegations from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey (the mediating countries for the Gaza ceasefire agreement alongside the US) met to discuss the second phase of the agreement, according to official Egyptian media.