Israel backs Trump Gaza plan, urges Hamas disarmament
2026-02-20 - 03:02
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar voiced strong support for US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan during the first session of the Board of Peace in Washington, DC, placing disarmament and demilitarization at the center of what he described as a sustainable post-war framework. Saar reiterated Israel’s long-standing position that Hamas and other armed factions must be stripped of military capacity if the current Gaza ceasefire is to hold. Seven-front conflict narrative Addressing the gathering, Saar said Israel had faced “a difficult war for two years on seven different fronts,” referring not only to Gaza but also to escalations involving Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iran since October 2023. He characterized the campaign as a confrontation with “Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah,” arguing that Israel’s security doctrine requires preventing a repeat of the Oct. 7, 2023 cross-border attack launched from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel. “That terrible day will not be forgotten,” he stated, adding that policy decisions must ensure “it never repeats itself.” Core conditions for Gaza’s future Saar contended that earlier diplomatic formulas for Gaza failed because they avoided what he called “the core issues: terror, hate, incitement and indoctrination.” According to him, the pillars of Trump’s proposal include the disarmament of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip and what he described as a comprehensive “deradicalization” process within Palestinian society. “Hamas must be disarmed,” he said, underlining that Israel would work with Washington to advance the plan. Ceasefire and casualty toll A US-backed truce has been in effect in Gaza since Oct. 10, pausing nearly two years of intense Israeli military operations that, according to Gaza health authorities, have resulted in more than 72,000 deaths and over 171,000 injuries since October 2023, the majority women and children. Despite the ceasefire, Gaza’s Health Ministry reports hundreds of alleged violations involving shelling and gunfire, with 611 Palestinians killed and 1,630 wounded during the truce period. The Board of Peace initiative, introduced as part of broader diplomatic efforts surrounding Gaza, aims to expand international engagement in conflict resolution. Washington has indicated that additional countries have joined the framework. For regional actors including Türkiye, developments tied to the Gaza ceasefire, reconstruction efforts and the political future of Hamas remain central to diplomatic and humanitarian calculations in the Eastern Mediterranean.