Israel’s security cabinet was set to meet on May 3 to discuss the possibility of resuming the war on Gaza, public broadcaster KAN has reported, citing sources.
The meeting was scheduled after Israeli officials concluded that Hamas was not complying with disarmament terms, a claim attributed to an unnamed Israeli official.
The disarmament of Hamas remains a major obstacle in talks aimed at implementing a ceasefire plan reached in October 2025, which ended two years of war following Hamas’ 2023 attack on southern Israel. Despite the truce, violence in Gaza has continued, with much of the territory still in ruins.
Nickolay Mladenov, heading Board of Peace, has held weeks of talks with Hamas and set an April 11 deadline for the group to accept a proposal to gradually surrender its weapons. The plan reportedly spans eight months and requires Hamas to first hand over heavy arms and tunnel maps within 90 days.
However, Hamas has rejected full disarmament demands and instead proposed that the issue be addressed only within a broader process leading to the creation of a Palestinian state, according to Arab diplomats.
The prospect of renewed fighting comes days after a warning by military analyst Amos Harel, who wrote in Haaretz on April 24 about possible government plans to launch a new offensive on Gaza.
He said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may seek to keep tensions active on other fronts, particularly with general elections approaching in October.
Despite the truce, Israel has failed to implement key commitments under the first phase, including opening crossings and allowing the entry of humanitarian aid, worsening conditions for around 1.9 million displaced people in Gaza.
Around 8,000 Palestinian bodies are believed to be trapped under the rubble in the Gaza Strip, where less than 1 percent of debris has been cleared, a report said on May 2.
