The first stage of the Trump plan for Gaza is reaching its end. Contrary to what many believed, myself included, Hamas released all of our alive hostages, while the IDF stayed in over 50% of Gaza. This is something of a miracle. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump deserve a lot of credit for this achievement, which also had difficult costs.
The second stage of the plan, however, is even more complicated: dismantling Hamas. Assuming that the terror group will not voluntarily disarm, an external force would be tasked with taking away Hamas’s weapons, destroying whatever remains of the vast tunnel network, and eliminating any other terror infrastructure.
The feasibility of any actor, regional or international, prepared to take responsibility for Gaza or confront Hamas on Israel’s behalf is close to none. No Emirati or Turkish soldier will risk his life to take down Hamas’s terror army. Just last week, Azerbaijan became the latest country to rule out sending troops to Gaza.
International orgs., PA can't take over Gaza
International institutions are even less capable, as Israel has learned from “peacekeeping forces” on its borders with Lebanon and Syria. These forces are ineffective at best and negligent at worst. This understanding is held unanimously by the Israeli political leadership and security apparatus, too.
Some around the world still speak about an alternative Palestinian leadership in Gaza. Yet they are ignoring political, institutional, and ideological realities that have not changed in decades. The Palestinian Authority refuses to denounce Hamas, glorifies and funds terrorism, educates children to hate Jews, and lacks both legitimacy and operational capacity.
It views Israel, not Hamas, as its primary adversary. It cannot impose governance in parts of Judea and Samaria under its nominal control; it certainly cannot assert authority in Gaza after years of Hamas domination. Any expectation that the PA will step into the enclave and neutralize the terror group is detached from facts on the ground.
Israel must dismantle Hamas
Israel does not enjoy the burden of fighting in Gaza. However, the reality is that it is the only force capable of removing Hamas’s remaining military and organizational capabilities. The alternative is allowing the terror group to recover, entrench itself again, and pose a threat to Israel’s southern communities.
According to IDF sources, in recent weeks, Hamas has been reorganizing, rearming, restoring communication networks, reasserting control, and cultivating the perception that it has survived. This perception alone strengthens the organization and encourages further aggression by our enemies. A terror group that believes it can outlast the IDF is a terror group that will strike again.
Part of the Israeli thinking that led to the October 7 massacre was the false belief and hope that we could wait, ignore our enemy’s military buildup, and forget about the situation in Gaza. Hamas has made clear that it wishes to commit another October 7. This time, we simply cannot ignore these threats. The consequences are too grave.
As the operational reality on the ground shifts and as political conditions change – in Israel, in the United States, and around the world – the timeframe for Jerusalem to act is narrowing. This is the moment to dismantle Hamas’s remaining capabilities. Israel can and must finish the mission, not out of ambition, but out of necessity. The responsibility lies with us alone, and postponing it will only increase the risks we face.
The writer is an MK from the Religious Zionist Party and a member of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.