Israel objects to emerging Hamas disarmament plan, vows no Gaza pullout until it’s fully demilitarized — official

Amid significant progress in talks on a roadmap for Hamas’s disarmament, an Israeli official says that Israel objects to the terms of the document currently under discussion in Cairo and will not withdraw from Gaza until it’s fully demilitarized.

The objections surround Hamas’s reported refusal to fully disarm, including surrendering the terror group’s guns.

“Israel is demanding the complete disarmament of Hamas, including the removal of all weapons from Gaza and the full demilitarization of the Strip, as a precondition for any process,” says the official.

“The reported 15-point document does not adequately address these requirements, and Israel has conveyed its reservations on the matter to envoy Tony Blair,” the official continues.

Blair, a former UK prime minister, is a senior member of the US-backed Board of Peace’s Gaza board and a key mediator in talks over the future of the Strip.

“There will be no Israeli withdrawal from the Yellow Line in the Gaza Strip before Hamas is disarmed and the Strip is fully demilitarized,” the official continues.

The official adds that Gaza did not come up at all in Tuesday’s meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump.