Israeli official says troops won't pull back in Gaza without 'genuine' Hamas disarmament
A senior Israeli official stated that IDF troops will not withdraw from Gaza without the genuine disarmament of Hamas. This follows reports of a US-brokered ceasefire plan involving a 'Board of Peace' to oversee the transition, though the proposal faces internal Israeli political opposition.
Why it matters
The disarmament of Hamas remains a central, unresolved obstacle to ending the ongoing conflict in Gaza and achieving a lasting regional ceasefire.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, Hamas weapons would be handed over to the Board of Peace, Trump said
A senior Israeli official has said troops will not pull back from their current positions in Gaza without the "genuine disarmament" of Palestinian armed group Hamas in the territory.
Hamas meanwhile said handing over its heavy weapons was contingent on Israel ending "all forms of aggression" and withdrawing its forces from Gaza.
It comes after Donald Trump said the Board of Peace had reached an agreement for the "complete disarmament" of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza.
On Friday Trump insisted that Israel was "very happy" with the proposed agreement, describing it as a "big step for the Middle East". However far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir dismissed the draft as "not acceptable".
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in