Anger in Trump administration, Board of Peace over Israeli claim that Hamas will not be disarmed via peace plan
BoP source claims assassinations of Hamas leaders ‘will not get rid of Hamas’
The current Israeli strategy of targeted assassinations of Hamas commanders and terrorists involved in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks “will not lead to the elimination of the organization,” a source close to the Board of Peace (BoP) says.
“The government's policy is targeted assassinations, while leaving Hamas with its army and its rule,” the BoP source told i24 News’ Hebrew edition.
“The Board of Peace wants the complete dismantling and elimination of Hamas. Israel is eliminating individual Hamas members, but not Hamas itself,” the source claimed.
The remarks come amid a lack of progress in the Gaza Peace Plan put forward by U.S. President Donald Trump, who is also the chairman of the BoP.
The BoP announced in July that Hamas had agreed to disarm; however, Hamas has claimed that such disarmament is conditional on the full withdrawal of the IDF from the Gaza Strip.
Israel maintains that the original peace agreement calls for the full withdrawal only after the disarmament of Hamas, and together with the entry of the International Stabilization Force (ISF), which is not yet ready to take on the role of policing the Gaza Strip.
In the meantime, as the two sides remain firm in their positions, the IDF has continued carrying out targeted assassinations of Hamas commanders and terrorists involved in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas invasion of southern Israel.
Two days ago (Tuesday), the IDF struck in northern Gaza and eliminated the terrorist Sharif Shadi Ibrahim Labad, a Nukhba terrorist in Hamas’ military wing.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) September 17, 2026
The terrorist infiltrated through the Erez Crossing during the October 7 Massacre, advanced terror attacks against Israeli… pic.twitter.com/ZZjBlaQsK4
Notices of such killings have been released by the IDF on a near-daily basis over the past couple weeks, despite a request by the U.S. to only strike in the event of imminent danger.
The Israeli government says it is keeping its promise to bring all the terrorists involved in the Oct. 7 attacks to justice. Although frequently, the IDF does claim that some of the terrorists are actively involved in plans to carry out attacks against its soldiers in the Yellow Line.
🔴ELIMINATED: 3 Terrorists from Hamas and the Islamic Jihad who advanced shooting and explosive attack plans against IDF troops.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) September 16, 2026
Recently, the terrorists advanced attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops in systematic violation of the ceasefire. The terrorists were… pic.twitter.com/wmaGL8TXE5
Washington is reportedly upset after Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Hamas was not going to be disarmed, and that Israel would have to do so by force, before implementing a plan of voluntary migration.
“We all understand that this is not going to happen – and the IDF is prepared, once given the directive to eliminate Hamas, to finish the job so that we can also implement the migration plan,” Katz said in response to criticism from political challenger Ofer Winter.
Katz, along with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir have championed a voluntary migration plan for Gazans to leave the enclave, heading to countries willing to receive them. Katz has referred to a poll from earlier this year, which found that around 80% of respondents were interested in leaving Gaza.
Both politicians have claimed that many countries are willing to receive immigrants from Gaza, although no countries have publicly made such a statement.
Earlier this month, Katz claimed that Israel was waiting for approval from the U.S. to begin a voluntary migration program, claiming that most Gazans were eager to leave.
A senior Trump administration official challenged Katz’s words in a statement to public broadcaster Kan News.
President Donald Trump is "committed to the full implementation of the 20-point plan, including the disarmament of Hamas.”
The official said that Washington remains committed to the disarmament of Hamas, despite the delay in achieving that goal.
The official also reaffirmed the Israeli understanding which calls for Hamas to disarm before the IDF withdrawal.
“Israeli forces will withdraw, and an international stabilization force will work with the Palestinian police to assume responsibility for Gaza and ensure it becomes a safe place for its residents and its neighbors,” the official said about the plan for Gaza after Hamas’ disarmament.
According to Channel 12 News, Hamas has decided not to respond to the IDF targeted killings in order not to give the Israeli government an excuse to resume military operations inside of the Hamas controlled territory.
That report came just days after a survey by the Jerusalem Media and Communication Center (JMCC) found that only 13.3% of Palestinian respondents in Gaza and the Palestinian territories in Judea and Samaria, support armed resistance as the best way to handle the conflict with Israel.
The poll also found that a slight majority (50.1%) of Palestinian respondents believe the Oct. 7 attacks harmed the Palestinian cause. Slightly more (55.8%) said they viewed negotiations as the best method for achieving Palestinian national interests.
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