The Israeli army had recently set up collection points across the Yellow Line, where Hamas is supposed to hand over its weapons to international stabilization forces as outlined by the second phase of US President Donald Trump's ceasefire plan, Israel's Haaretz reported on Tuesday.
The move came as senior Hamas officials denied having agreed to disarm or surrender weapons.
Haaretz said the collected weapons are intended to be transported from these points along the Yellow Line into Israel, where they will be destroyed.
However, it added, the Israeli military noted that so far, there has been no sign that any handover has begun, and it is unclear whether these collection points will actually be used in the process.
The newspaper said the collection of Hamas' weapons was supposed to be overseen by the international stabilization force in the Gaza Strip. However, this force, which is currently operating from the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) in southern Israel's Kiryat Gat, has not yet been deployed.
Meanwhile, sources within the Israeli army told Haaretz that they have identified attempts by Hamas to restore the movement's capabilities to produce rockets and other weapons, albeit on a smaller scale than the attempts that took place before the ceasefire took effect in October last year.
Although Tel Aviv has not openly opposed Trump's plan, it is hoping it will collapse when Hamas refuses to surrender its weapons.
In the meantime, the army reportedly drew up plans for renewed ground operations inside Hamas‑held areas, amid intelligence assessments that Hamas is restoring tunnels, funding fighters and strengthening its forces as postwar governance remains unresolved.
But the army has been instructed not to initiate any moves that would violate the Trump plan to avoid angering the Americans, according to informed sources.
In recent days, the army has spread reports saying Hamas is increasingly motivated to rebuild and recover from the heavy losses inflicted upon it throughout the last two years of war, a narrative apparently aimed at legitimizing a possible resumption of war.
Haaretz wrote that officials in the Israeli military are struggling to understand the interests of each side involved in the Gaza plan, and what Israel's political leadership plans to do with the situation.
It said with no signs of disarmament or demilitarization, and no signs that such a process is beginning, nor any effective enforcement of the peace plan on either side of the Gaza Strip's Yellow Line, Hamas is strengthening its position as the once-again unchallenged authority controlling the Gaza Strip.
On Monday evening, Channel 13 news reported that the military recently delivered a document to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu detailing how Hamas is gaining strength in Gaza and rebuilding its capabilities since the ceasefire.
The channel quoted the three-page report as saying that “approximately three months after the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, it is evident that Hamas, despite the difficulties, continues to deepen its governance, looking ahead to the next phase of the agreement — an increase can be identified across all indicators of Hamas’s governance.”
“Hamas is taking steps on the ground intended to preserve its influence and grip on the Gaza Strip from below. This is being done by integrating its operatives into government ministries and the security apparatuses,” the document said.
“Looking ahead: In the absence of Hamas’s disarmament, and under the auspices of the technocratic committee, Hamas will, in our assessment, succeed in maintaining influence and control in the Gaza Strip,” the document added, according to the report.
Control of Gaza
All Israeli media outlets reported on Tuesday that the Israeli army found a huge haul of around 110 mortar rounds, as well as some rockets and other military items, concealed within UNRWA blankets and humanitarian aid in southern Gaza.
A statement said that the army’s 7th armored brigade found the weapons during its standard patrols within Israeli-held territory east of the Yellow Line.
Early this week, the army said it killed four Palestinian fighters who approached troops near the Gaza ceasefire line in the Strip’s north.
Hamas retains control of just under half of Gaza following the ceasefire deal.
Officials told The Times of Israel that at least in the short term, Hamas would remain de facto in control of the territory.
According to an Israeli security official, Israel believes that even if Hamas officially announces that it has handed over control of Gaza to the technocratic government, it would still have tens of thousands of armed members in its military wing and internal security forces across the Strip, as well as civil servants in key roles.
The security official also said it was more likely that the Israeli army would have to act militarily against Hamas to disarm it, as it believes the movement will not do so of its own accord.
Last week, Trump claimed that “it looks like” Hamas is “going to disarm,” while his special envoy Steve Witkoff said: “They will because they have no choice. They’re going to give up their AK-47s.”
A leaked document shared by KAN News on Sunday said Hamas plans to continue having administrative control of Gaza, contrary to what the ceasefire agreement establishes.
The document outlines how officials affiliated with Hamas must act before the establishment of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), including dos and don'ts to avoid raising suspicions with the new government.
The document also states that NCAG members can't be attacked, while activities must continue “as if nothing had changed.”
“No personal contact should be made, or information and news should be passed on to the NCAG, outside of the relevant channels,” the document stated.
The document shared on Sunday was reportedly a secret memo only to be seen by Hamas officials inside Gaza, KAN reported.
