Israeli and American officials confirmed that President Donald Trump gave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a guarantee that Israel can use military force if Hamas violates the new agreement.
Israel Hayom reports speaking with American and Israeli sources who confirmed “the understanding is that if Hamas, or any of the other terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip, seriously breaches a key principle of the Trump plan in a way that poses a security threat, Israel will be able to respond militarily, with US support.”
The guarantee is part of a side agreement to the deal agreed to by Hamas and Israel on Wednesday.
An Israeli diplomat told Israel Hayom that Tel Aviv was initially tentative about the talks until it became clear that “Hamas was not conditioning a ceasefire or the release of hostages on commitments related to Phase B.”
The deal reached on Wednesday was under the 20-point peace plan framework proposed by Trump last week. Hamas agreed to release the 48 remaining captives on Friday, and talks kicked off in Egypt on Sunday.
While the deal was signed by mediators on Wednesday, Israeli strikes on Gaza have continued on Thursday. Tel Aviv says it will implement the ceasefire after a government vote later today.
Israel agreed to a phased hostage exchange and ceasefire earlier this year that was meant to lead to an end of the conflict. However, in March, Israel broke the deal by resuming airstrikes in Gaza and imposing a total siege of the Strip.
