Peace Council Criticizes Israeli Gaza Policy, Proposes 14-Day Truce for Hamas Disarmament

A source close to the "Peace Council" organization has criticized the Israeli government's policy in the Gaza Strip, stating that its focus on targeted assassinations while allowing Hamas to retain its military capabilities and authority will not lead to the group's elimination. This approach is seen as similar to the policy in place before the October 7th attacks.

The Peace Council official expressed that the organization aims to dismantle and completely eliminate Hamas, contrasting this with Israel's current strategy of eliminating individual members without dismantling the group itself. The official noted that this policy is occurring amidst Israeli intransigence and the suspension of progress on the next phase of former U.S. President Donald Trump's plan.

These remarks come as disagreements arise over the future steps in Gaza, following a July 30th agreement between Hamas and the Peace Council on a path toward gradual disarmament of the organization. The proposed path involves a 14-day period of calm, excluding operations against immediate threats, coupled with full Israeli government cooperation on all preparatory and logistical steps for voluntary disarmament.

The source indicated that if Hamas rapidly begins dismantling itself and reveals the locations of all tunnels, it would be ideal. However, if Hamas does not disarm voluntarily, the Israeli military would then receive international support to carry out disarmament by force. The Peace Council's proposal prioritizes a period of calm and voluntary disarmament before resorting to military action if Hamas fails to comply.