Israeli minister says army to occupy all Gaza if Hamas does not disarm

JERUSALEM – Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Feb 23 that the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas may soon be given a deadline to lay down its weapons.

“We estimate that in the coming days, Hamas will be given an ultimatum to disarm and completely demilitarise Gaza,” Mr Smotrich said in an interview with public broadcaster Kan.

“If it does not comply with it, the IDF (Israeli army) will have international legitimacy and American backing to do it itself, and the IDF is already preparing for this and making plans,” said the minister, who is a member of Israel’s security Cabinet charged with approving large-scale military operations.

Under the first phase of a US-sponsored ceasefire in Gaza that halted two years of fighting between Israel and Hamas, the Israeli army withdrew to positions behind a so-called yellow line, but still controls over half the territory.

The second phase, which officially began in January, provides for a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army and the disarmament of Hamas, which the militant group has vehemently opposed.

“The (Israeli military) will definitely enter and occupy Gaza if Hamas does not disband,” Mr Smotrich said.

When asked how the military would do this, he said: “There are two or three alternatives right now that we are examining”.

The peace plan put forward by US President Donald Trump also calls for the establishment of a 20,000-strong peacekeeping force, called the International Stabilization Force (ISF), to which several countries have committed troops.

When asked how the Israeli army would operate against Hamas when foreign soldiers are deployed on the ground, Mr Smotrich said the latter would “pull out very quickly and allow the (Israeli military) to enter. This is coordinated with the Americans”.

“By the way, I don’t yet see them going in that fast,” he added, referring to the ISF. AFP