Hamas destruction, Gaza emigration 'only solution,' Ben-Gvir says

Destroying Hamas and encouraging the emigration of Palestinians is “the only solution in Gaza that Israel is prepared to be a partner in,” National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Thursday, amid reports of an emerging deal to disarm the terrorist group.

Israel should not sign an agreement with Hamas “through a third party, through mediators or through any other party,” the minister said.

“With the devil, whose banner is our destruction, you do not commit to stopping the elimination of terrorists, and you do not sign agreements,” Ben-Gvir tweeted.

Ben-Gvir said that after the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre led by Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should make clear, “even to our best friends,” that the Jewish state will accept “no other solution” than the terrorists’ destruction.

A diplomatic source with knowledge of the talks in Cairo told JNS on Thursday that “Hamas will have no role in governing Gaza, either openly or behind the scenes, and the NCAG [National Committee for the Administration of Gaza] will hold full authority under the principle of one authority, one law and one weapon.

“The implementation roadmap provides for the decommissioning of all weapons, heavy and light, with no exceptions, alongside the elimination of tunnels, weapons depots and production facilities,” the source said. “The process is based on reciprocity and independent verification, not trust. Each step by one side enables the next step by the other.”

He said that talks in Cairo were making progress. A second, Israeli source told JNS that “the Gaza issue did not come up at all in the meeting between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump.”

He insisted that Israel remains adamant in its demand for “the complete disarmament of Hamas, including the withdrawal of weapons from Gaza and the full demilitarization of the Gaza Strip as a precondition for any process.”

Referring to the document detailing the sequence of steps for de-escalation and the transition to technocratic governance in the Gaza Strip laid out by the Trump administration, the Israeli source said, “The 15-point document in question does not adequately address these demands, and Israel forwarded its objections on the matter to envoy Tony Blair.” The former British prime minister sits on the executive board of the Board of Peace.

“There will be no Israeli withdrawal from the Yellow Line in the Gaza Strip before Hamas disarms and demilitarizes in the Gaza Strip,” the source said, speaking of the demarcation line dividing Gaza in two.

Hebrew media reported on Thursday that mediators had reached a proposed agreement with Hamas outlining Gaza’s disarmament under Phase 2 of Trump’s peace plan.

According to Israel’s Channel 12 News, the terms call for Hamas to surrender all heavy and light weapons, including arms held by its “policing” forces, as well as control of its underground tunnels.

The report said the terrorist group’s weapons would be transferred over a period of weeks to depots secured by the U.S.-backed International Stabilization Force.

Under the proposal, Hamas would also cease all terrorist activity and recruitment, while the Israel Defense Forces would remain on the Yellow Line in Gaza until disarmament is completed.

Trump’s Board of Peace, which oversees the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement, and the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office did not immediately respond to JNS requests for comment.

Phase 2 envisions the demilitarization of Hamas, the establishment of a Palestinian technocratic administration backed by an international Board of Peace and stabilization force, expanded humanitarian aid, and the start of Gaza’s reconstruction.

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