Qatari-Turkish Proposal Regarding Hamas' Weapons.. And Israel Issues a Warning

SadaNews - The Hebrew newspaper Yediot Aharonot reported that Israeli government officials warned that any alternatives to disarming Hamas aim to maintain its influence in Gaza.

Israeli sources indicated that there is a Qatari-Turkish proposal to transfer Hamas' weapons to the Palestinian Authority or store them under international supervision, while Israel rejects the two-year timeline demanded by Qatar and Turkey for disarming the movement and insists on only a few months.

The Israeli sources also added that Tel Aviv strongly opposes involving Turkish forces in the international stability force in Gaza, revealing that Tel Aviv is considering starting reconstruction in "a civilian model free of Hamas" in Rafah.

Israeli intelligence estimates, according to the newspaper, indicate that 75% of the population in Gaza no longer supports Hamas.

The sources warned that Hamas is reorganizing its ranks and strengthening its almost complete control over Gaza, exploiting the security vacuum resulting from the fragile truce.

Officials emphasized the necessity of an independent Israeli operational plan for disarmament, without relying on American or international initiatives that may be "soft" on Hamas.

On Saturday, the head of Hamas in Gaza, Khalil Hayya, announced that the movement is ready to hand over its weapons to the "state" that will manage the sector in the future, but this is linked to the end of the Israeli "occupation".

He stated in a press release that Hamas' weapons are "linked to the presence of occupation and aggression, and if the occupation ends, these weapons will belong to the state." His office clarified that by "state," he meant a "future sovereign Palestinian state," according to AFP.