Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented a new security assessment during a meeting with US President Donald Trump, according to which Hamas is holding approximately 60,000 Kalashnikov rifles in Gaza.
The figure was gathered specifically ahead of the trip by IDF intelligence and the Shin Bet. “Without collecting these weapons, it is impossible to move on to the next stages,” was the central and clear message conveyed to the Americans.
The end result of the Mar-a-Lago meeting between Prime Netanyahu and President Trump was that Israel and the United States will give Hamas a two-month window to disarm.
It was also agreed that Hamas’ disarmament and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip would include the destruction of its underground tunnel network.
Although the plan agreed upon during the meeting appears promising, it ultimately amounts to providing Hamas with yet another opportunity to voluntarily relinquish its weapons. In Israel, it is broadly anticipated that Hamas will not disarm and that the responsibility for subsequent actions should and will be in the hands of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces. Talks of Israel launching another military campaign are already circulating and we pray for a better and more decisive outcome in the new military action.