Hamas ‘open to disarming’, JD Vance ‘optimistic’ over truce
Despite Hamas leaders saying publicly they won’t hand over their weapons, they are reportedly more flexible over the issue in negotiations.
Hamas is reportedly open to disarming and has said it is committed to the ceasefire with Israel as JD Vance expressed “great optimism” the Gaza truce will hold.
During a visit to Israel aimed at shoring up support for a ceasefire and post-war reconstruction plans, the US Vice-President warned the militants would be obliterated if they didn’t co-operate with the ceasefire, echoing Donald Trump’s threat earlier in the day of “fast, furious and brutal force” against the organisation if it broke the truce.
Mr Vance said Washington wouldn’t set a deadline for the group to disarm, but the Israel Hayom newspaper reports that, despite Hamas officials saying publicly they have no intention of giving up their weapons, the militants have been more “flexible” in talks over the US President’s peace plan.
“What we’ve seen the past week gives me great optimism the ceasefire is going to hold,” Mr Vance said during a press conference in Kiryat Gat, a city in southern Israel where a US-led mission is monitoring the Gaza truce.
“Everybody should be proud of where we are today. It’s going to require constant effort. It’s going to require constant monitoring and supervision.”
However, he said if Hamas didn’t comply with the ceasefire, “they will be obliterated”, adding that the response would be “fast, furious and brutal”.
As Israel’s security forces received the remains of two more hostages, Mr Vance warned the return of the remaining 15 bodies would take time, with many trapped under rubble.
Before Mr Vance’s arrival, Mr Trump posted on Truth Social: “Numerous of our NOW GREAT ALLIES in the Middle East, and areas surrounding the Middle East, have … informed me that they would welcome the opportunity, at my request, to go into GAZA with a heavy force and ‘straighten our [sic] Hamas’ if Hamas continues to act badly.”
Opening a joint US-Israeli civil-military co-ordination centre in southwest Israel, Mr Vance played down Israeli pressure for a firm deadline for Hamas to disarm.
“I’m not going to do what the President of the United States has thus far refused to do, which is put an explicit deadline on it, because a lot of this stuff is difficult,” he said.
Mr Vance also said American troops would not be deployed in Gaza but that the US would take part in “useful co-ordination”.
Meanwhile, the UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that a “small number” of British troops had been deployed in Israel as part of the US-led mission to monitor the ceasefire.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey said Britain would play an “anchor role” in the efforts at the request of the US.
“We can contribute to monitoring the ceasefire,” Mr Healey said at an event in London.
“We’ve also, in response to the American request, put a first-rate, two-star officer into the civilian and military command as a deputy commander. So Britain will play an anchor role.”
To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register
Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout