Behind the Scenes: Despite No Agreement Yet, the Plan to Disarm Gaza Is Already Underway

Although the agreements have not yet been officially signed in Israel, the IDF has begun to intensify its targeted killing policy in Gaza, and the Peace Council is advancing preparations for multinational forces, including a tender for the construction of buildings in the yellow line area. Forces from Uganda are expected to land in Israel to join the Moroccan forces. The cabinet discussed the agreements, with ministers opposing and demanding amendments. Leaders of the Gaza envelope councils demand full disarmament as a precondition for rehabilitation, and the Order 9 movement launched a campaign against the agreement.

Although the agreements have not yet been officially signed in Israel, the IDF has already begun to significantly intensify its policy of targeted killings in Gaza, and the Peace Council has begun advancing work towards the entry of multinational forces. "Hayom" has learned that the Peace Council has issued a tender for Israeli companies to construct office buildings and accommodation for senior officials in the yellow line area captured by the IDF. In the coming days, forces from Uganda are expected to land in Israel to join the Moroccan forces that have already arrived in the Gaza envelope, in preparation for entry into Gaza. Behind the scenes, there is pressure on Israel to pull back IDF forces to the positions before full disarmament. Yesterday, the political-security cabinet convened to discuss the Gaza and Lebanon arenas at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem. The ministers discussed the two agreements with the Peace Council, which have not yet been signed. The first agreement was approved in principle in the previous cabinet meeting, but Minister Smotrich demanded to amend it to allow only countries with which Israel has diplomatic relations to operate the force (i.e., not Qatar). The second document is the roadmap for beginning the implementation of the disarmament, rehabilitation, and withdrawal plan, which met with public opposition from ministers Ben Gvir, Smotrich, and Strook, and Netanyahu's demand to amend many clauses. On the ground, this week the IDF began the 14 days preceding the start of disarmament, during which the policy of targeted killings will be significantly tightened. Last night, the heads of the Gaza envelope councils appealed to cabinet ministers demanding that full disarmament of the Gaza Strip be a precondition for any move of rehabilitation, transfer of powers, or further withdrawal, contrary to the roadmap according to which disarmament and withdrawal would be mutual and gradual. They emphasized that responsibility for the security of the Gaza envelope communities must remain with Israel. Meanwhile, the Order 9 movement launched a campaign against the implementation of the agreement. Reut Ben Haim, one of the organization's leaders, said that Article 17 is the most dangerous part, and that even if Hamas does not disarm, they begin rehabilitating the Strip, allowing Hamas to keep its weapons and prepare for "the next massacre." She called the plan a "revival plan for terrorism."