Major Palestinian factions in Gaza expect Israel to step up its military operations in the enclave after they, through Hamas, sought amendments to a proposed disarmament plan, sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Three Hamas sources inside Gaza said there were field indications of a broader Israeli escalation that could go beyond targeting police and security positions, armed faction members and assassinations.
Disarming Hamas is a central pillar of a plan presented by the UN’s special envoy for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, which he outlined at the United Nations Security Council in late March.
According to provisions reported by international and regional media, the plan calls for Hamas to dismantle its tunnel network and relinquish weapons in stages over eight months, with a full Israeli withdrawal contingent on “final verification that Gaza is free of weapons”.
Israeli escalation has intensified in recent days, with increased strikes targeting police personnel and field operatives from armed factions.
The sources said instructions had been issued to members of Hamas-run security services and armed wings to raise alert levels to the maximum and take all possible precautions to avoid repeated targeting.
Proposed amendments
A Hamas delegation that visited Cairo last week submitted, on behalf of Gaza factions, a response to the disarmament proposal during a meeting with Mladenov two days ago.
The response stressed “the need to introduce amendments to the plan, including obligating Israel to fully implement its commitments in the first phase before moving to the second,” the sources said.
Hamas believes Israel could use the request for amendments “as a pretext to intensify its attacks in the coming period, claiming the movement has refused to disarm,” one Hamas source noted, adding that the group and other factions were continuing to study the plan through various channels.
A field source from the Islamic Jihad movement said that “strict instructions” had been issued to fighters to adopt all necessary security measures to avoid detection and targeting, amid growing signs of an Israeli escalation, “especially if Iran war ends.”
Early on Sunday, Israeli forces killed four fighters from the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, in the Shujaiyya area east of Gaza City while they were manning a checkpoint aimed at preventing infiltration by Israeli special forces or armed groups.
On Monday, a Hamas police officer was killed when an Israeli drone struck his vehicle at the entrance to Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza. Another young man was shot dead by Israeli forces near the so-called “yellow line” south of Khan Younis.
Field sources said the targeted vehicle belonged to a Qassam Brigades member and that the police officer driving it had previously served as a bodyguard for a senior figure.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, more than 718 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since a ceasefire took effect on October 10, 2025.
Meeting with Erdogan
Separately, Hamas said on Sunday that a senior delegation had held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul, focusing on developments in Gaza and ways to consolidate the ceasefire.
The delegation warned of the situation in Jerusalem, particularly at Al-Aqsa Mosque, cautioning against what it described as violations, and against proposed legislation concerning the execution of prisoners, which it said would contravene international law.
According to the statement, the delegation expressed appreciation for Türkiye’s support for the Palestinian cause, while Erdogan reaffirmed his country’s continued backing for Palestinian rights and its longstanding position on the Palestinian cause.
