Israel conveys 'concerns' to US on Gaza plan

On August 3rd, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesman informed the AFP that Israel had expressed concerns to the United States regarding a proposed Gaza war plan. The spokesman stated that this version of the plan did not align with Israel's positions. According to the spokesman, Israeli intelligence had discovered that Hamas had been rearming and recruiting forces since a truce announced by US President Donald Trump in October.

Though the ceasefire had reduced violence, Israel still maintains control over more than 60% of the Gaza Strip and more than 1,200 Palestinians have been killed since the truce. Netanyahu's spokesman emphasized that Hamas' actions since the ceasefire showed preparations for further atrocities similar to the Oct 7 massacre. He also highlighted that the Trump Board of Peace's plan aimed to turn Gaza into a "terror-free zone" and that full demilitarization of Hamas was essential to avoid future threats to Israel.

A roadmap from the Board of Peace called for Israel to cease military operations in Gaza without delay, while also advocating for a phased withdrawal from the territory. However, the Israeli military insisted on its presence in Gaza until Hamas disarmament. A Palestinian official in Gaza reported that Israeli strikes since early Sunday had killed 19 Palestinians, including women and children, and that an Israeli strike on Saturday destroyed medical supplies.

Despite Trump's public support for the disarmament move, Netanyahu has not publicly commented on the matter.