The United States remains committed to disarming Hamas, and Defense Minister Israel Katz's statement claiming that "everyone understands" that it will not happen goes against the Board of Peace's efforts, a source close to the BoP told KAN News on Wednesday.
"There is no need to believe or guess," the source told KAN News. "Only to cooperate with the Peace Council's plan to remove Hamas from all its weapons and rule in Gaza. According to the plan, either Hamas will disarm itself of all its weapons voluntarily, or the IDF will disarm it by force, with international backing."
A source in Washington also told KAN News that US President Donald Trump remained fully committed to his 20-point plan to disarm Hamas, claiming that afterward, "Israeli forces will withdraw and the International Stabilization Force will work with the Palestinian police to assume responsibility for Gaza and ensure that it will be a safe place for its residents and neighbors."
The source also reacted to Katz's statements on Palestinian emigration from Gaza, saying that the US's stance remains against the policy of removing residents from the Gaza Strip.
Katz's comments were made earlier on Wednesday, in response to People of Israel chairman Ofer Winter, who had criticized the Israeli government for not yet fully eliminating Hamas.
In a post on X/Twitter, Katz says that Winter is "not up-to-date," claiming that 70% of Gaza was destroyed and that the IDF surrounds the remaining 30% and is working to eliminate the remainder of Hamas.
Katz says emigration from Gaza will be advanced after US promotes it
In a later post on X, Katz moderated his stance, no longer claiming that the disarmament of Hamas would not happen, and specifying that targeted strikes against Hamas figures are made "in accordance with enabling political conditions."
He also stated that emigration from the Gaza Strip would only be advanced "when the US administration decides to return to the initiative and promote it by convincing countries to absorb the migrants."
Winter responded, asking Katz, "How can it be that after three years of war and five divisions fighting in Gaza, there is no resolution, Hamas is still on its feet, there is no voluntary emigration despite a blank check from the Americans that you threw in the trash, and we are still sending Hamas hundreds of supply trucks every day?"