Israel Rejects Hamas Disarmament Deal Without Complete Weapons Removal from Gaza

Israel has cooled reports suggesting Hamas and mediators are close to an agreement to advance the Gaza Strip situation. A senior Israeli official clarified that the deal under discussion in Cairo is between Hamas and mediators, not Israel, which does not accept the current framework. Israel demands the full disarmament of Hamas, including the removal of all weapons from Gaza and complete demilitarization of the area, as a precondition for any progress.

The 15-point document under discussion does not meet Israel's demands, and Israel has communicated its objections to envoy Tony Blair. Jerusalem insists there will be no Israeli withdrawal from the "yellow line" in Gaza before Hamas is fully disarmed and the strip demilitarized. The issue of Gaza was not raised during the recent meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington.

According to the roadmap discussed in Cairo, Hamas must surrender all light and heavy weapons, tunnels, weapon caches, and production facilities. Weapons are to be transferred to international forces, stored in designated facilities, and decommissioned. A multinational force will guard the caches, and ultimately a Palestinian technocratic committee will hold authority over weapons in Gaza. An American diplomatic source said the process involves full disarmament and that Hamas will have no role in Gaza governance, with authority centralized under one law and one weapon.

However, the main disagreement between Israel and the U.S. and mediators lies in weapons storage. While the mediators allow weapons to remain stored inside Gaza under international supervision, Israel demands their complete removal from the territory, fearing Hamas could regain control of them. Israel views storage inside Gaza as insufficient for true disarmament.

The current framework also stipulates Israel will not withdraw beyond the original "yellow line" (covering about 50% of Gaza) until disarmament is verified. Israel will halt targeted killings but retain the right to act against emerging threats. Hamas has pledged to cease all military activity, including recruitment and rearmament.

Israel's public rejection of the deal has created tension with the U.S., which views the roadmap as a historic full disarmament of Hamas. A Trump peace council official suggested Israel's response is driven by internal political considerations and expects eventual acceptance once the full details are understood.

The second phase of the U.S. plan for Gaza, which includes transferring civilian governance to a technocratic Palestinian committee, disarming Hamas, gradual Israeli withdrawal, deployment of an international security force, and reconstruction, remains stalled. Hamas recently dissolved its emergency government and expressed willingness to hand over civilian management, but Israel remains skeptical as Hamas retains security control. The withdrawal issue remains a major obstacle, with Hamas demanding full Israeli withdrawal before disarmament talks, while Israel insists disarmament must come first. The "yellow line" ceasefire boundary was intended as temporary, but Israel continues to control over half of Gaza and has established physical and security barriers along parts of it.