Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed skepticism on Sunday about the ability of a multinational force to disarm Hamas in Gaza, although he promised that the terrorist group's disarmament would be achieved one way or another.
The remarks, made during a meeting with Israeli ambassadors in Jerusalem, came after Netanyahu announced earlier that the first phase of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is nearly complete. The second phase, according to the 20-point plan for Gaza presented by US President Donald Trump, establishes governance arrangements for the enclave.
The plan envisions the disarmament of Hamas, the administration of Gaza's affairs by a Palestinian technocratic body, and the deployment of a multinational force while the Israel Defense Forces withdraw. Israel has demanded the disarmament of Hamas as a condition for moving forward with the plan.
In his remarks to the ambassadors, Netanyahu suggested that the multinational force, called the International Stabilization Force, might not be able to force the terrorist group to hand over its weapons.
“In the second phase, we are moving towards disarmament and demilitarization,” he said, adding that he responded “Go ahead” when presented with the idea of a multinational force.
“We know there are certain missions this force could perform,” he continued. “There are certain things they can’t do, perhaps the main task they can’t do, but we’ll see.”
However, he promised that Hamas would be disarmed, repeating a phrase he has used multiple times when discussing disarmament: “We can do it the easy way or the hard way, but in the end it will be done.”
Disarmament has proven to be one of the most difficult issues in negotiations on the second phase of the plan for Gaza. Hamas has previously vowed not to hand over its weapons, although on Sunday one of its senior officials, Bassem Naim, said the terrorist group is willing to discuss “freezing or storing” its weapons for a period of years as part of a process aimed at establishing a Palestinian state.
But Naim pointed out that the multinational force could not be tasked with disarming Hamas. “We welcome a UN force near the borders, monitoring the ceasefire agreement, reporting violations, preventing any kind of escalation,” he told The Associated Press. “But we do not accept that these forces have any kind of mandate authorizing them to operate or be deployed within the Palestinian territories.”
Meanwhile, Israeli and Qatari officials met Sunday in New York, reportedly in the first of a series of trilateral meetings arranged by US envoy Steve Witkoff, who is seeking to repair ties damaged by Israel's failed September attack on Hamas offices in Qatar.
According to Axios, which cited anonymous sources, the meeting was organized by Witkoff and was attended by Mossad chief David Barnea and a senior Qatari official. It was the highest-level meeting between the two countries since the attack.
Qatar and Israel do not have diplomatic relations, although Doha has played a key role in mediating with Hamas and maintains a close relationship with the United States, especially under President Trump.
According to the sources cited in the report, Witkoff established a mechanism to “improve coordination, enhance communication, resolve mutual grievances and strengthen collective efforts to prevent threats.”
Sunday's meeting likely focused on taking the Gaza ceasefire into its second phase, almost two months after it was secured in early October.
In a press conference earlier on Sunday with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Netanyahu said the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza is “almost” complete and that he expects the next stage to begin soon. The ceasefire stipulated that Hamas release all hostages, living and dead. The remains of one slain hostage, Ran Gvili, are still being held in Gaza, and Netanyahu has vowed to see his body returned to Israel.
Netanyahu said he would discuss phase two of the plan with Trump during his visit to the White House later this month.
In his speech to diplomats, Netanyahu dismissed media reports that certain peace deals cannot happen without Israel doing things first, a likely reference to the Saudi demand that Israel commit to an eventual Palestinian state.
“The opportunities are there because of the tectonic shifts we made in the balance of power in the Middle East,” he said.
He also referred to his philosophy of “peace through strength”.
“Israel is stronger than ever,” Netanyahu stated. “It is a superpower, certainly regionally. In several fields, it is a world power.”
The second phase of the agreement also concerns the establishment of governance and security mechanisms that will be responsible for administering Gaza after the war, instead of Hamas. A US official indicated that while the United States aims to announce the transition by the end of the year, the process may not be finalized by then, as mediators have not yet secured agreements from Hamas regarding its relinquishment of power and disarmament.
