A disarmament accord announced Thursday stipulates that Hamas will surrender its weapons while Israel withdraws from Gaza and gradually transfers administrative control to Palestinian authorities. President Trump has characterized the arrangement positively, but Israeli political leaders and media outlets have reacted with considerable skepticism.
An unnamed senior Israeli official stated Friday that no withdrawal would occur until Israel determines Hamas has genuinely disarmed, effectively conditioning Israeli compliance on subjective Israeli assessment. The prospect of Israeli departure from Gaza remains deeply unpopular within Israel, where recent polling indicates strong public support for hardline positions. A May survey found 82 percent of Jewish Israeli respondents backed forcible Palestinian expulsion from Gaza, while a June poll showed 64 percent believed no Palestinian civilians remained in the territory.
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir labeled the agreement “unacceptable” and called for continued Israeli military operations and what he termed “encouragement of emigration” from Gaza—terminology widely associated with ethnic cleansing. Centrist opposition figures, including Gadi Eisenkot, contended the accord failed to achieve stated war objectives. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not publicly commented, though his position carries particular weight given upcoming elections in October and multiple corruption charges he faces.
Analysts suggest Netanyahu confronts competing pressures. Maintaining his far-right coalition partners, many of whom threaten government collapse if the conflict ends without total Hamas defeat, conflicts with preserving American support under the Trump administration. An anonymous U.S. official warned Trump would be “very, very disappointed” if Israel failed to comply with the agreement. Observers suggest Netanyahu may permit limited, symbolic Israeli military repositioning while resisting substantive withdrawal.
Policy experts anticipate Netanyahu will prioritize preserving American backing and managing coalition politics. Some analysts believe escalation rather than withdrawal remains likely as Netanyahu approaches the election cycle, though the timing and intensity of any public position remains uncertain.
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