Israeli Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Avi Dichter, complained about Hezbollah's military capabilities and the impossibility of “demilitarizing” Gaza, the Israeli Public Broadcaster (KAN) reported.

Speaking at an event hosted by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, Dichter seemed irked by the Lebanese Resistance party's refusal to hand over its weapons, despite continued American diplomatic pressure and ongoing Israeli strikes on Lebanon. 

In reference to the ceasefire in Gaza, the former head of the Shin Bet and current member of the Israeli Security Cabinet said, “The war is not ended; it is a ceasefire to prepare ourselves [for] the next stage."

He asserted that Hamas is learning from Hezbollah's performance in Lebanon and will refuse to accept disarmament. 

“They are learning from what happens in Lebanon to do in Gaza,” he said.

“Hamas will not disarm either. Winning the World Cup is easier than demilitarizing Gaza.”

 

- Member of the Israeli Security Cabinet, Avi Dichter

“Weapons are the raison d’etre for Hamas. Without weapons, there is no Hamas,” he added.

Dichter then affirmed his call for “extra force” to be used against Hamas in order to achieve the elusive Israeli goal. Despite killing more than 67,000 Palestinians, Dichter and his fellow ministers were unable to secure the return of captives, disarm Hamas, or impose a new status quo in Gaza via military force. 

The captives were only released through multiple prisoner exchange deals that saw thousands of Palestinian detainees freed. Meanwhile, a failed attempt to recover some captives through military operations resulted in the deaths of several special forces soldiers.

Disarmament is out of the question

Earlier in October, a Hamas official speaking to AFP said that the disarmament of Hamas as part of US President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza is “out of the question.”

“The proposed weapons handover is out of the question and not negotiable,” the official said, rejecting Trump's statement that the issue of Hamas' disarmament would be addressed in the second phase of the ceasefire in Gaza. According to the 20-point plan, Hamas members who decommission their weapons are promised amnesty and will be allowed to leave Gaza.

However, with the start of the ceasefire, the Palestinian Resistance quickly deployed its security forces across the so-called “yellow line” area. Hamas continues to oversee organizational activities, maintain much-needed security, and provide essential services to the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians residing there.

Meanwhile, Hamas’ al-Qassam Brigades have taken the lead in recovering the bodies of Israeli captives buried beneath the rubble caused by Israeli bombardment. Their efforts have proven crucial to fulfilling the ceasefire’s terms and supporting Gaza’s broader recovery process.

Dichter’s remarks underscore “Israel’s” failure to achieve one of its primary objectives in Gaza. They also reaffirm that the Resistance, both in Gaza and Lebanon, remains an unyielding front in the face of ongoing Israeli schemes in the region.

Read more: 'Israel' fortifies Gaza’s 'yellow line,' prepares to dig in: WSJ