Israel Conditions Withdrawal from Gaza on Hamas Disarmament, Says Maariv

An Israeli newspaper has reported that the Israeli military will not withdraw from the Gaza Strip before disarming Hamas. According to officials of the regime, international forces also lack the capability to disarm the Palestinian resistance.

The Maariv newspaper, citing an Israeli source, wrote that any expectation of an international power’s ability to forcibly disarm Hamas is unrealistic. According to this source, the current field conditions and the structure of the Palestinian resistance eliminate such possibilities for foreign forces.

The report emphasized that Israel, contrary to commitments made within the framework of a ceasefire, will not withdraw from the so-called “yellow line” as long as Hamas does not lay down its weapons. This position indicates that Tel Aviv considers complete disarmament a prerequisite for any military changes in Gaza.

Maariv further added that in the event of a political deadlock and failure to reach an agreement on disarming Hamas, and in the absence of an operational model for deploying international forces in Gaza, Israel will consider another option; one that focuses on initiating reconstruction only in areas under its control and inside the yellow line.