Hamas says nearly 600 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since a ceasefire took effect in October 2025, after two years of war. Four Israeli soldiers have been killed since.
“Things are moving in Gaza,” Dr. Nimrod Goren, president of Mitvim – the Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies, and an executive board member at Diplomeds – The Council for Mediterranean Diplomacy, told The Media Line. “Even if the plan appears questionable in terms of its sequencing and its end game on the ground, the reality on the ground in recent months has improved, and the process is continuing, contrary to expectations. There is a very limited momentum of progress, and if you look at the plan with adjusted expectations, there is room for some satisfaction.”
After completion of the first phase of the deal, which included the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces, and a halt in large-scale fighting, US President Donald Trump is trying to kickstart the second phase. That phase is expected to include Hamas’ complete disarmament, a full Israeli withdrawal, and the establishment of a technocratic government to administer the territory, removing Hamas as Gaza’s sovereign authority.
For now, violations continue, with both sides blaming each other. Israeli officials have warned that fighting will resume if Hamas does not disarm as mandated by the 20-point peace plan.
The peace plan was adopted by the United Nations Security Council in November 2025, increasing pressure on both sides to comply.
“For Hamas, the goal of the ceasefire was to end the fighting, get humanitarian aid in and rebuild its military capabilities,” Shaul Bartal, a research associate at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, told The Media Line. “Hamas sees itself less bound than Israel to Security Council Resolutions and therefore views its attacks against the IDF as legitimate. Israel’s counter-attacks are also considered a violation of the ceasefire.”
“We are not giving up on the war objective that was set out, which is to completely demilitarize Gaza and disarm Hamas of all its weapons,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir told troops stationed along the Yellow Line in Gaza on Friday. “We are prepared to move from defense to offense.”
The military is currently holding positions along a demarcation line known as the “Yellow Line,” established under the October 2025 ceasefire. The line divides the Strip into Israeli-controlled and Palestinian-administered areas.
Israeli media have reported that the military has plans in place to renew the offensive against Hamas.
Separately, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar is expected to attend Trump’s first formal Board of Peace meeting in Washington later this week at the request of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The US president is expected to announce a multibillion-dollar reconstruction plan for Gaza and unveil detailed plans for the International Stabilization Force, a multinational body intended to train local police, help secure Gaza’s borders, and disarm Hamas while sidelining the terrorist group.
Despite heavy losses during months of fighting, Israeli assessments say Hamas is working to rebuild its capabilities by recruiting new members, reestablishing command-and-control structures, and trying to replenish its arsenal through local weapons production and the recovery of unexploded Israeli ordnance. Israeli officials also say Hamas is attempting to rebuild its tunnel network and restore some rocket-launch capacity.
Hamas standoff threatens Gaza stabilization, IDF poised to act
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