Quote:Hamas is carrying out a wave of retribution executions and asserting its control in areas of the Gaza Strip where Israel has withdrawn, highlighting the challenge facing President Trump to get the group to give up its arms and power as part of his 20-point plan for peace.
Hamas has killed at least 33 people since the ceasefire went into effect last week, according to reporting from Reuters, with at least seven men dragged into Gaza City square on Monday.
The men, their hands bound were forced onto their knees and shot from behind in public view of dozens of people, Reuters stated.
Ghaith al-Omari, a senior fellow with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a former Palestinian negotiator, said that Hamas has a head start on reestablishing its control in Gaza, absent an international security force and apolitical governing body.
“The longer the time passes, and the more that they [Hamas] establish themselves on the ground now in the security sphere, we’ll soon start seeing them also doing in the civilian sphere – they will start removing rubble and building a couple of schools, offering health care, all that kind of stuff – the harder it becomes to kind of dislodge them,” he said.
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Trump said from the White House on Tuesday that if Hamas refuses to disarm, “we will disarm them.” His peace plan says that if Hamas refuses to surrender completely, Israel can restart military operations in Gaza. When clearing an area from Hamas control, the deal allows Israel to hand over an area to an International Security Force (ISF) – though such forces are still being planned and do not exist at this point.
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Al-Omari said it will be important for the U.S. and other international partners to stay diligently engaged in the second phase of negotiations as a counterbalance to Qatar, and likely Turkey, from pushing for future terms more favorable to Hamas.
He warned ambiguity on any of the terms could undermine the strength of the peace plan.
“Is it going to be decommissioning all of Hamas’ weapons? Is it going to be decommissioning heavy weapons? And if that’s the case what is a heavy weapon? Is it rockets? Hamas is very happy to give up rockets. Is it machine guns and [rocket propelled grenades], most likely not,” he said.
https://thehill.com/policy/international...s-control/
