The Israeli Security Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will hold a meeting on Sunday to consider the possible resumption of military operations in the Gaza Strip.
elchi – citing Israel’s “Kan” TV channel, reports that the discussions will take place against the backdrop of a stalemate in negotiations regarding the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of the enclave.
“Hamas is not fulfilling the disarmament agreements. We are in contact with the mediators,” an Israeli official told the channel.
“Peace Council” senior official Nikolay Mladenov has been holding consultations with the leadership of the Palestinian Hamas movement for several weeks and set April 11 as the deadline for the movement to accept the council’s proposal to gradually hand over all weapons last month.
According to the plan, details of which were leaked to the press, the process is intended to last eight months, and the first phase involves Hamas handing over heavy weapons and tunnel infrastructure schemes within 90 days.
Meanwhile, according to sources cited by the “Times of Israel” newspaper, Hamas has rejected demands for the complete surrender of its weapons arsenal.
The Palestinian movement has put forward counter-conditions, demanding that Israel stop violating its obligations under the first phase of the ceasefire agreement reached in October. Hamas expressed dissatisfaction with Israel’s expansion of the eastern part of the Gaza Strip under its control, attacks on militants in the western part of the enclave, and the volume of daily humanitarian aid delivery falling below the agreed level.
According to “The Times of Israel” newspaper, the issue of Iran is also planned to be discussed at the Security Cabinet meeting.