Shin Bet Chief Warns Israeli Cabinet Hamas Sees Gaza Peace Plan as Political Victory

Shin Bet chief David Zini warned the Israeli security cabinet on Thursday that Hamas views the Gaza peace plan proposed by the Peace Council as a political victory akin to the October 7 attacks. According to sources present at the meeting, Zini described Hamas’s apparent willingness to disarm under the plan as a deceptive tactic aimed at buying time to avoid Israeli military action until after upcoming elections.

Following the plan’s publication, ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Orit Strook claimed they were misled by inaccurate information during the cabinet vote and called for the plan’s reconsideration. Meanwhile, a Peace Council official stated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the National Security Council were continuously updated on the plan’s details.

Most cabinet ministers demanded Netanyahu reject the Peace Council’s roadmap, opposing a U.S. and Peace Council proposal for a 14-day ceasefire on targeted killings and military strikes in Gaza. They instructed military commanders to seek Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir’s approval before any counterterrorism operations. The ministers argued that Israel must resume frequent targeted killings to avoid signaling acceptance of the roadmap.

Netanyahu responded that Israel had submitted detailed feedback, emphasizing prior understandings with the U.S. from November 2025. He noted international pressure to accept the 14-day ceasefire, which would allow Hamas to remove weapons. National Security Council head Shmuel Ben Ezra highlighted the continuous, hourly international pressure to implement the ceasefire.

Cabinet members criticized the roadmap for contradicting the war’s principles and previous U.S. agreements, opposing the transfer of Hamas weapons to any new Palestinian authority in Gaza. They rejected the establishment of a renewed Palestinian Authority with its own laws before Hamas is fully disarmed. Ministers also objected to the roadmap’s mention of establishing a Palestinian state alongside a phased Israeli withdrawal prior to Gaza’s complete demilitarization.