On Monday, August 3, 2026, Israel conveyed its concerns to the United States regarding a Gaza disarmament plan recently hailed by President Donald Trump. The plan, which involves Hamas agreeing to disarm and hand over weapons to a nascent Palestinian governing committee, was announced by Hamas on Friday as the next stage of a deal.

Doron Spielman, spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, told AFP that the publicly released version of the framework "does not reflect Israel's positions." He added that Israeli intelligence had found Hamas has been rearming and recruiting forces since a ceasefire announced by Trump in October 2023, despite a reduction in violence.

Spielman also stated that Hamas' actions indicate preparations for "further Oct 7-style massacres," referring to the devastating Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. He emphasized that the plan's vision of Gaza as "a deradicalised terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbours" contrasts sharply with current realities and Hamas's stated intentions. "The indispensable first step toward any lasting arrangement is the genuine, verifiable and irreversible demilitarisation of Hamas," he said.

An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, noted that Israel, which still controls most of the Gaza Strip, would not withdraw its forces under the plan without verifying Hamas' disarmament.

President Trump described the Hamas announcement as a "major milestone" in efforts to end the war that began with the October 7 attack and said Israel was "very happy" about the developments.

Meanwhile, Israeli strikes continued after Hamas' announcement. Palestinian authorities reported that Israeli attacks killed at least 13 people on Sunday, with NPR News reporting at least 17 fatalities, including children, from strikes overnight and into Sunday evening.

Sources