Israel is demanding the complete disarmament of Hamas, including the removal of weapons from Gaza and the full demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, as a precondition for any withdrawal process, a diplomatic source told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday.
The 15-point document under discussion does not adequately address these demands, and Israel conveyed its reservations on the matter to envoy Tony Blair.
There will be no Israeli withdrawal from the Yellow Line in the Gaza Strip before Hamas is disarmed and the Gaza Strip is demilitarized, the source emphasized.
Notably, the issue of Gaza did not come up at all during the meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, the source added.
What are mediators discussing in Cairo?
Discussions with mediators in Cairo are continuing and making progress, according to a separate diplomatic source who spoke to the Post on Thursday, as negotiators work to finalize a comprehensive roadmap for Gaza’s future governance and security arrangements.
According to the source, the roadmap is designed as a balanced and pragmatic framework centered on the complete decommissioning of all weapons and a phased transition of responsibilities to a technocratic government.
“There will be no exceptions for certain weapons or certain people,” the source said. “One authority, one law, one weapon.”
The source said the proposed framework establishes a process for eliminating all tunnels, weapons depots, and weapons production facilities throughout the Gaza Strip, describing it as a comprehensive effort rather than a limited security arrangement.
At the conclusion of the implementation process, the source said, there would be no remaining terrorist infrastructure in Gaza. Hamas would have no governing or military role, either publicly or behind the scenes, in a model similar to that being applied to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Under the proposal, all weapons, both heavy and light, would come under the full control of the NCAG, in coordination with and supported by the ISF, which the source said is led by a two-star US Special Forces general.
The agreement also stipulates that there will be no Israeli withdrawal from the original “Yellow Line” unless full disarmament is implemented.
As part of the arrangement, Hamas would commit to halting all military activity, including the recruitment of new operatives into its ranks. In return, Israel would suspend its targeted killings campaign.
However, the framework makes clear that if new threats emerge, Israel would retain the right to take military action.
The process of storing and surrendering weapons is expected to begin in the coming weeks, once Hamas agrees to this framework, with the weapons being transferred to the International Stabilization Force (ISF) and permanently removed from operational use.
Gaza rebuilding process built on reciprocity, source says
The diplomatic source emphasized that the roadmap is based on reciprocal implementation rather than trust between the parties.
“This entire process is built on reciprocity, not trust,” the source said. “Each side’s fulfillment of a commitment sequences the next commitment of the other side. A verification mechanism ensures compliance.”
The source described the initiative as a turning point for Gaza, saying it was developed after lengthy negotiations guided by US President Donald Trump‘s Comprehensive Gaza Peace Plan.
“This is a new beginning for Gaza,” the source said. “It has taken a long time to reach this stage, but our guiding light has been President Trump’s Comprehensive Gaza Peace Plan and its objectives of providing a better future for the people of Gaza and security for the people of Israel.”
According to the source, the roadmap is intended to translate that broader vision into a practical sequence of steps for both Israelis and Palestinians.
“The Roadmap is a first-of-its-kind agreement that operationalizes the Trump peace plan into steps that both Palestinians and Israelis will have to take to open this new chapter of peace, prosperity, and security for Gaza,” the source said.
Current Cairo talks aimed at reaching deal, source says
“The current talks in Cairo between Hamas and the mediators are aimed at reaching a deal – not just holding another round of negotiations,” a source familiar with the Cairo negotiations told the Post.
“At this stage, it remains unclear whether an agreement will be reached. What is clear, however, is that from the perspective of the mediators and the Board of Peace, there will be no scenario in which only some of the tunnels are dismantled, or only some of the weapons are surrendered. It has to be all of it,” the source said.
