Israel holds off on next phase of Trump Gaza plan as Shin Bet warns Hamas seeking to ‘trap Israel’

Israel has yet to sign or formally approve the roadmap for implementing the next phase of US President Donald Trump's Gaza plan, amid growing opposition inside the security cabinet and warnings that Hamas intends to use the process to restrict Israel's military freedom of action, The Jerusalem Post has learned.Shin Bet Director David Zini warned ministers that Hamas views the proposed demilitarization process as a strategic opportunity to buy time and constrain Israel rather than as a path toward genuinely giving up its military capabilities.Zini told ministers that, from Hamas's perspective, the roadmap amounted to a “diplomatic October 7,” allowing the terrorist organization to achieve politically what it had failed to achieve militarily.Zini argued that Hamas was seeking to drag the process out while waiting for Israel's October elections and hoping Israel would be prevented from resuming military operations during that period.The Post separately reported Friday that Zini told the security cabinet Hamas viewed the agreement as a way to “trap Israel” and limit its ability to operate militarily in Gaza in the coming months.“They are dragging their feet,” Zini told ministers, according to sources cited by the Post. “They are waiting for the elections, and then they will see what happens.”Ministers oppose 14-day preparatory periodThe immediate dispute centers on a proposed 14-day preparatory period before implementation of the next phase.According to Israeli officials cited by the Post, cabinet ministers broadly opposed Israel taking steps that could be interpreted as entering that period because it would require restrictions on Israeli military operations, including targeted strikes against Hamas operatives.Walla similarly reported that Israel had neither signed nor formally approved the Board of Peace's demilitarization roadmap and had raised significant objections to the proposed arrangements.The dispute highlights a continuing gap between Jerusalem and Washington over how the next phase should begin.Israel has demanded genuine and verifiable demilitarization of Gaza and has insisted that Hamas cannot retain military capabilities while the IDF withdraws further. The Trump administration and its Board of Peace have promoted a phased process combining Hamas disarmament, the establishment of a Palestinian technocratic administration, deployment of an International Stabilization Force and further Israeli withdrawals.The 15-point roadmap published by the Board of Peace last week calls for both sides to complete outstanding commitments under the previous agreement before mechanisms for implementing Phase 2 are finalized during a 14-day period.Conflicting reports over international forceThe status of the proposed multinational force remains less clear.The Post has learned that a separate document regulating deployment of the force remained unsigned following Israeli objections and that Israel had yet to formally authorize its entry under the new arrangements.However, the Post further learned that the government had approved the entry of approximately 200 members of a multinational force under American pressure. Bohbot also reported that targeted killings in Gaza had recently been halted.Reuters reported on July 26 that the security cabinet had approved a legal framework allowing a roughly 200-member International Stabilization Force to enter Gaza, while noting that each national contingent would still require individual Israeli approval.The reports may reflect a distinction between Israel's earlier approval in principle of a legal framework and final approval of the force's actual deployment and operating arrangements.Preparations outside Israel are nevertheless moving ahead. Uganda's parliament voted Thursday to authorize the deployment of Ugandan troops to Gaza if required as part of the international force. Reuters reported that the broader Trump plan remained stalled and that it was unclear when the force would deploy.