In a notable development, the International Stability Force — a multinational force established to manage the security situation in the Gaza Strip — has begun disarmament arrangements in Gaza after receiving military equipment to be used in pursuit of that objective.
This comes as Hamas concluded its talks with mediators in Cairo without achieving meaningful progress on the issue of "arms containment", which remains an obstacle to moving forward with implementation of the Gaza agreement and launching the second phase.
According to a report by the Israeli news site Walla, the Southern Command of the Israeli army transferred dozens of vehicles to Gaza over the past 24 hours, which were handed over to US forces stationed at the International Stability Force headquarters in the Israeli Kiryat Gat area near Gaza.
The transfer of these vehicles is considered part of ongoing preparations for the International Stability Force to assume security responsibilities in parts of the Gaza Strip and carry out disarmament.
Informed Israeli sources stated that "the progress of diplomatic operations in Gaza is contingent on the presence of an effective force inside Gaza that disarms Hamas and takes control of the Strip."
Behind-the-scenes negotiations over the future of Gaza continue, with the latest round held in Cairo, where meetings took place involving Palestinian factions — including Hamas — along with representatives of the Peace Council established by Trump, as well as regional parties such as Qatar and Turkey.
A source familiar with the negotiations said: "Trump may want to give this process a chance. It remains to be seen whether it will succeed."
However, the "arms containment" file remains an obstacle to moving forward with implementing the Gaza agreement and launching the second phase. Despite scant publicly available details, diplomatic and security sources said negotiators are working on a road map that combines the gradual disarmament of Hamas with the establishment of transitional authorities to administer Gaza.
In another development, Israeli Channel 12 cited an Israeli assessment that the war in the Gaza Strip could resume within two months — and before the legislative elections next October — on the pretext that Hamas has violated the ceasefire agreement, amid Israel's continued breaches.
The channel reported that Israel expects the Peace Council to declare, within two to three months, that Hamas is violating the agreement because it has still not surrendered its weapons, according to the assessments.