Israel readies new Gaza ground assault as Hamas refuses to disarm under Trump peace plan
By isabelle // 2026-01-12
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  • Hamas refuses full disarmament, a core demand of the U.S. peace plan.
  • The group is using the ceasefire to rebuild its military and financial strength.
  • Israel has drawn up plans for a potential new ground offensive in Gaza.
  • The U.S. peace process is stalled as few countries will join a force while Hamas is armed.
  • The fragile truce is cracking, setting the stage for a potential return to full-scale war.
The fragile calm in Gaza is cracking, with Israel and Hamas once again on the brink of a devastating return to full-scale war. According to a Wall Street Journal report citing informed sources, the Israeli military has drawn up plans for a new ground operation inside Hamas-controlled territory. This preparation comes as Hamas refuses a core demand of President Donald Trump’s peace roadmap: complete disarmament. The situation reveals a fundamental deadlock that threatens to shatter a ceasefire that has held since October, setting the stage for further bloodshed in the beleaguered enclave. Currently, Gaza is split roughly 50-50 between the Israel Defense Forces and Hamas, a temporary arrangement under the first phase of Trump’s 20-point peace plan. The envisioned second phase requires Hamas to give up governing control and turn over its arms, after which Israel would pull back to a smaller buffer zone and an international stabilization force would enter. Progress has completely stalled, however, on the question of weapons. Arab officials told the Journal that Hamas is only ready to give up its remaining stock of heavy weapons, but it will not surrender its small arms. Israel estimates the group holds approximately 60,000 rifles. A senior Hamas official stated last month that the group remains committed to the ceasefire but insisted it would not surrender its weapons “as long as the occupation remains.”

Rebuilding under the ceasefire

Instead of disarming, Hamas has spent the ceasefire period actively rebuilding its military capabilities, according to Arab and Israeli officials. The group has been reconstructing parts of its damaged tunnel infrastructure, appointing new commanders, and replenishing its financial coffers. Officials cite access to cash stored in tunnels, taxation on goods and services in Gaza, and an influx of money from Iran as key sources. This new cash flow has allowed Hamas to regularly pay salaries to its estimated 20,000 fighters again, fueling recruitment efforts. “Hamas is focusing on rebuilding military capabilities lost during the war,” the Journal reported. This activity directly contravenes the ceasefire agreement and the terms of the U.S. peace plan, which both require the group to disarm. In response, Israel is making its own preparations. Israeli military chief of staff Eyal Zamir said in November that Israel “must be prepared to quickly transition to a wide attack across the other side of the yellow line,” referring to Hamas-controlled territory. An Israeli official stated that if Hamas doesn’t willingly give up its weapons, Israel would force it to do so. Despite these plans, Israeli officials told the Journal there are no immediate plans to move into Hamas-held areas, and Israel is willing to give the U.S. plan more time to develop. Any decision to launch a new offensive would be a political one made by Israel’s leaders. Analysts suggest that if fighting resumes, Israel could opt for a large-scale invasion of Gaza City to force a quick surrender or slowly wrest control piece by piece. “It will be much faster and easier than people want to believe,” said Erez Winner, a former senior Israeli military planning official, citing the ease of evacuating Palestinians who are already living in tents. “It’s adjusting plans we already have to the current situation.”

A tricky impasse

The U.S. has struggled to advance its peace plan amid this impasse. Few countries are willing to join the proposed international stabilization force while Hamas remains armed. Furthermore, the U.S. and Israel have stated there will be no large-scale rebuilding efforts in Gaza until Hamas disarms. Other elements of the first phase also remain incomplete, such as the full opening of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. President Trump has echoed Israel’s hardline stance, stating in late December that Hamas would be given “a very short period of time to disarm” and warning “there’ll be hell to pay for them.” He reiterated on Fox News, “They’ve made an agreement that they’re going to disarm. We’re going to have to assume that they’re going to, but you know it’s not their nature to disarm.” The standoff presents a disturbing reality. A return to war would have grave consequences for Gaza’s roughly two million Palestinians, most of whom are displaced and living in dire conditions. With Hamas re-arming and Israel drawing up battle plans, the temporary quiet appears to be little more than an intermission. The core issues of security, control, and ultimate authority over Gaza remain unresolved, pointing toward a future where the next explosion of violence seems not a matter of if, but when. Sources for this article include: RT.com WSJ.com NYPost.com
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