Another important detail should not be overlooked. The new framework is designed to bypass what many involved see as the ineffective and frustrating role of the United Nations in Gaza.
What the White House statement did not address is the central question of Hamas. Will the terrorist organization be disarmed and prevented from continuing to rule the Strip? Who guarantees the senior figures appointed by the White House that Hamas will accept such a decree without responding violently? Just yesterday, senior Hamas officials declared, ‘We have 10,000 new volunteers. They are just waiting for us to recruit them.’ Hamas spokesman in Gaza Hazem Qassem said that once the new Palestinian governing body enters the Strip, the existing government would disperse. He went even further by calling for accelerating the establishment of a technocratic committee made up of Palestinians who do not live in Gaza.
But this is the critical caveat. Despite the enthusiastic statements, Hamas has not agreed to disarm.
There is not even a hint, not the faintest signal, that it intends to relinquish control. Under those conditions, how does anyone move forward? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded cautiously, describing the initiative as largely declarative and one that does not change the security reality. Netanyahu set two unequivocal demands: the return of the body of Ran Gvili and the dismantling of Hamas’ military capabilities.
In closed-door discussions, officials in President Trump’s administration say they are examining the possibility of declaring Hamas disarmed and storing its weapons, though it is unclear where. Who ensures that Hamas would agree to such a move?
Disarming Hamas is a complex challenge. It is unclear whether anyone, no matter how senior, is capable of confronting the organization’s sophistication. Even if Hamas agreed to give up part of its weapons and commit to storing others, none of the members of the ‘peace committee’ or its affiliated bodies have the knowledge or capacity to deal with realities on the ground.
In the meantime, the terrorist organization continues to operate without pause, constantly recruiting new volunteers. Given the severe living conditions in Gaza, the cold and the hunger, it is not hard to understand why. Many would be willing to do almost anything to support their families. According to available information, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad currently have about 30,000 armed fighters in Gaza.
On the other side, Netanyahu insists that the Israel Defense Forces will not withdraw from key positions in the Strip, including the Philadelphi Corridor, until full demilitarization is achieved. After all, a surprise move could occur at any moment.
The prevailing assumption is that Hamas will not surrender its weapons voluntarily.
Who will force it to do so? Members of the committees have no security experience.
Review the names across the three bodies one by one. There is no shortage of goodwill and hope,
but there is zero combat experience. It should not be forgotten that Hamas has not abandoned its core
mission as a so-called liberation movement fighting Israel. That slogan remains deeply ingrained in
Netanyahu’s thinking. Hamas is prepared to continue fighting. The larger question is whether it would
also declare war on representatives of the Palestinian Authority in order to drive them out of Gaza.
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