From the Liveblog of
Thursday, October 22, 2026
Israel said to give US intel that Hamas has no plans to disarm, is prepping for new war
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
Senior military officials presented intelligence to their US counterparts that Hamas has no intention of disarming and is building up its forces in the Gaza Strip in case of a renewed all-out war with Israel, the Haaretz daily reports, citing sources familiar with the information.
According to the reported information presented to Washington in recent days, which has also been presented to the Israeli political leadership, Hamas has no intention of cooperating with any international body, and the only way the terror group can be disarmed is through military force.
Haaretz says that the Israel Defense Forces assesses Hamas has repaired its tunnel system and built up weapons in areas that it still controls inside Gaza. The IDF also believes the terror group has some 30,000-40,000 operatives — its pre-October 7, 2023, numbers.
The security establishment has determined that Hamas has managed to reimpose its governance over the Strip and is unchallenged in the enclave, Haaretz says.
US-led efforts to reach a comprehensive deal that would see Hamas disarm and Israel withdraw from Gaza have stalled amid disagreements over the process.
The Times of Israel Community.