Eyeing phase two in Gaza, PM airs skepticism on whether international force can disarm Hamas |
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced skepticism about the notion that a multinational force meant to patrol Gaza could successfully disarm Hamas, though he vowed disarmament would occur while touting Israel’s strength.
The remarks, made Sunday evening to a meeting of Israel’s ambassadors in Jerusalem, came after the premier had said earlier in the day that the first phase of the ceasefire in the Strip was close to finished. The second phase, as laid out in a 20-point plan for Gaza presented by US President Donald Trump, outlines governing arrangements for the enclave.
The plan envisions Hamas disarming, a Palestinian technocratic body managing Gaza’s affairs, and a multinational force deploying there as the IDF withdraws. Israel has demanded Hamas’s disarmament as a condition for moving forward with the plan.
In his remarks to the ambassadors, Netanyahu suggested that the multinational force, called the International Stabilization Force, might not be able to force the terror group to lay down its weapons.
“In the second phase, we are moving to disarmament and demilitarization,” he said, adding that he had said “Go ahead” when presented with the idea of the multinational force.
“We know that there are certain missions that this force could do,” he continued. “There are certain things they can’t do, maybe the main task they can’t do, but we will see.”
But he vowed that Hamas would be disarmed, repeating a phrase he has used multiple times when discussing disarmament.
“We can do it the easy way, or the hard way,” he said. “But in the end it will be........