Disarming Hamas Gaza’s next battleground

Disarmament of Hamas is the next battleground on which Israel and the group will each attempt to shape Gaza’s future in their mould. The prospects don’t bode well for ordinary Gazans with US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace’s cards stacked in Israel’s favour. That is not to deny that Hamas either needs to disarm or be integrated into a unified Palestinian police force that maintains law and order in the Strip. Without disarmament as well as an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the introduction of an international stabilisation force, relief and rehabilitation efforts will remain hampered, and reconstruction will not get off the ground. The problem is that the Board’s implementation of the second phase of Mr. Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan is off to a problematic start.