The Gaza Technocratic Committee is expected to present Hamas with a detailed plan in March outlining how the terrorist organization would dismantle its military capabilities, Israel Hayom has learned. The process is slated to unfold over roughly six months and would proceed according to a "from heavy to light" formula, meaning Hamas would first be required to hand over detailed maps of its tunnel network along with its heavy weaponry.
Toward the end of the designated period, Hamas would also be required to surrender its light arms to Gaza's policing forces.
The plan would apply not only to Hamas but to other armed militias operating in the Gaza Strip, including clans that rival Hamas and are identified with Israel. However, outreach to those groups would take place only at the final stage of the process. "The guiding principle is one weapon and one law under one government, which is the technocratic committee," a source familiar with the details said. "The plan is very specific and demands the full handover of weapons without games. Everything, in full."
The final details of the disarmament plan, both for Hamas and for the broader demilitarization of Gaza, are currently being finalized. The effort is being carried out with the backing and support of Arab and Muslim states that signed onto the so called 20-point plan, in order to present Hamas with a unified international front demanding what for the organization would be a painful concession: relinquishing its weapons and ammunition.
Members of the Board of Peace are hoping Hamas will comply, as both board members and Hamas leaders understand that failure to surrender the weapons would constitute a violation of the ceasefire agreement.
A senior source involved in the discussions said that "the scenario of renewed war is the worst possible outcome for all sides, and no one wants to reach it. However, the 20-point plan is clear, and Hamas signed it. If the organization does not honor the agreement and the war resumes, this time Israel will enjoy broad international backing and will be able to act when there are no hostages on the ground. These conditions would make it significantly easier to finish the job diplomatically and militarily."
The source stressed that all other stages of the 20-point plan hinge on Hamas' disarmament. In practical terms, Gaza's reconstruction process will not begin until it is clear that Hamas is handing over its weapons and doing so in earnest.
In addition, the international ISF force, to which several Muslim countries have expressed willingness to contribute troops, will not begin operating until it is evident that Hamas hands over its weapons. One reason for delaying the deployment of these forces is the desire to avoid a situation in which soldiers from Muslim countries find themselves caught in a military confrontation between Hamas and Israel.
