Israel expresses concern about Hamas disarmament plan

Update, Aug. 2, 11:05 p.m.:

A spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Sunday told the Associated Press that Israel had serious security concerns with the disarmament deal with Hamas that U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday. The official, Doron Spielman, said Israel had communicated its concern to the White House.

According to Spielman, Israel’s leadership believes Hamas intends to rebuild its military rather than truly disarm. Israel Defense Forces would not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas completely gives up its weapons, Spielman told the AP.

Meanwhile, new Israeli airstrikes on targets in the Gaza Strip on Saturday and Sunday reportedly killed at least 17 people. Israel said it was attacking military targets.

Original story, July 31:

The international Board of Peace on Thursday reached an agreement for Hamas and other armed groups in the Gaza Strip to completely disarm, President Donald Trump said. The news came about nine months after Israel and Hamas signed a U.S.-brokered peace deal, leading to the formation of the board, an international body with roughly 20 member countries and a U.S.-led executive team. Hamas agreed a few weeks ago to dissolve its government in Gaza and hand some power to United Nations administrators, but, at the time, disarmament remained a sticking point.

What would come next? The agreement calls for Hamas to disarm in phases, Trump said. As it does so, Israeli forces will withdraw, and the UN peacekeeping force in Gaza will work with a new Palestinian police force to maintain order, he said.

Israel hadn’t yet released an official response to the agreement as of Friday morning. However, The Times of Israel reported that Israel would not agree to withdraw from Gaza until the disarmament was completed and Hamas handed over all its weapons, citing an unnamed government source.

A Hamas official told Reuters that the terror group wouldn’t disarm until Israel agreed to the plan Trump announced.

If Israel approves the agreement and Hamas disarms, then what? The new agreement was a critical step toward the goal of a new Palestinian government in Gaza, which would work closely with the Board of Peace to rebuild the country, Trump said. It would also ensure security for neighboring Israel, he said. Trump thanked mediators Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, along with the U.S. negotiating team, for the historic step.

Dig deeper: For more on Hamas’ earlier agreement to dissolve its government, listen to Kristen Flavin’s explanation on The World and Everything in It.