‘Credible reports’ Hamas planning ‘imminent’ attack on Gazan civilians, US says - JNS

 

by JNS

Washington told guarantor countries of the Gaza deal that if the terror group attacks Palestinians, the United States will protect the latter and “preserve the integrity of the ceasefire.”

 

The United States told state guarantors of the Gaza peace deal that there are “credible reports” that Hamas plans an “imminent” attack on Gazan civilians, the U.S. State Department said on Saturday.

“This planned attack against Palestinian civilians would constitute a direct and grave violation of the ceasefire agreement and undermine the significant progress achieved through mediation efforts,” the Trump administration said. “The guarantors demand Hamas uphold its obligations under the ceasefire terms.”

If the Hamas terror organization launches the attack, “measures will be taken to protect the people of Gaza and preserve the integrity of the ceasefire,” the State Department said.

“The United States and the other guarantors remain resolute in our commitment to ensuring the safety of civilians, maintaining calm on the ground and advancing peace and prosperity for the people of Gaza and the region as a whole,” it said.

Joe Truzman, a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and editor of its Long War Journal, stated that he is unaware of a planned Hamas attack.

“The American warning is likely related to Hamas’s crackdown on the Palestinian population since the ceasefire went into effect,” he wrote. “I suspect that this is the U.S. telling Hamas to put a leash on the Islamist group’s notorious Arrow Unit and Radaa Force that have been executing and beating Palestinians for alleged crimes.

“If not, the IDF will begin bombing these Hamas affiliates as it did in the war,” he said.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday echoed warnings from the U.S. administration that Hamas is terrorizing Palestinian civilians as it seeks to regain control in Gaza. In a post on X that included a video showing a brutal public beating, the ministry described the scenes as “difficult viewing” and reiterated that the recently brokered ceasefire must be fully upheld.

The statement added that Hamas “must go” and that Gaza should be demilitarized.

JNS

Source: https://www.jns.org/credible-reports-hamas-planning-imminent-attack-on-gazan-civilians-us-says/

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