President Donald Trump announced a potential breakthrough in implementing the Gaza ceasefire agreement on Thursday, but Israeli strikes overnight and into Sunday evening killed at least 17 people. The violence coincided with an Israeli official sharing serious security concerns regarding the proposed disarmament deal with Hamas.
Security Concerns and Disarmament Sticking Points in Gaza
Israel has formally shared serious security concerns with the White House regarding the proposed disarmament deal with Hamas, according to Doron Spielman, spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. Speaking to the Associated Press, Spielman stated that the Israeli intelligence assessment is that Hamas remains committed to rebuilding its military rather than genuinely demilitarizing. The Israeli military maintains control over more than 60 per cent of the territory and insists it will not withdraw before Hamas physically gives up its weapons.
“Our assessment is that if we redeploy before Hamas is truly disarmed, it will quickly expand its presence throughout Gaza, rebuild its terrorist infrastructure, once again threaten Israeli communities, and seek to carry out another Oct. 7-style attack.”
Disarming Hamas has been a sticking point that deadlocked negotiations for months. Under Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan announced on Thursday, the militant group is called upon to surrender its weapons and destroy its vast network of tunnels. A verified copy of the agreement obtained by the AP outlines that all weapons held by the Hamas-run police will be transferred to the U.S.-backed Palestinian technocratic committee—known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza—upon its arrival in the enclave.
Deadly Strikes Continue Despite Ceasefire Breakthrough
Even as diplomatic channels push forward, deadly Israeli airstrikes continued for a second straight day on Sunday. The strikes killed at least 17 people, including children, across Gaza. Israel’s energy minister Eli Cohen stated plainly that there is no deal to halt the military strikes, underscoring the gap between high-level diplomatic announcements and ground realities.
The humanitarian toll in the battered enclave remains severe. According to records maintained by the Gaza Health Ministry—which are viewed as generally reliable by United Nations agencies and international organizations—the military offensive has killed more than 73,000 people. The ministry reports that women and children make up around half of all fatalities.
Prime Minister Netanyahu faces a tough re-election battle ahead of October elections. His far-right coalition partners are actively urging him to maintain military pressure and keep forces stationed in Gaza, while political opponents criticize him over security failures surrounding the October 7, 2023, attack led by Hamas.
Regional Complications and Parallel Talks Involving Iran
Diplomatic tensions are not restricted to Gaza. President Trump condemned a deadly Israeli strike in Lebanon on Sunday morning that left 3 dead and 15 wounded in Dahiyeh, a Beirut suburb and Hezbollah stronghold. Netanyahu defended the action as a response to drone attacks launched by Hezbollah into northern Israel.
The strike in Lebanon immediately complicated delicate, Pakistan-mediated peace negotiations between the United States and Iran happening in Islamabad. Iranian chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf condemned the incursion on X, writing that the action demonstrated a lack of American will or ability to fulfill commitments. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth insisted in a CBS interview that the talks remain on track, noting that if Iran wants the arrangement to hold, they must pull back Hezbollah.
As international leaders prepare to gather for the Group of Seven summit starting on Monday, questions loom over the exact timeline for signing the Iran peace deal and whether simultaneous diplomatic tracks in the Middle East can withstand active military escalations on multiple fronts.
