Hamas urges US to force Israel to withdraw from Gaza in strategic ambush

Hamas demanded Washington pressure Israel to withdraw from the Gaza Strip Saturday — a “strategic ambush” that comes even as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already insisted the Jewish state would never agree to such a deal unless the terrorists first lay down their weapons.Under the second phase of the agreement negotiated by President Trump, the Palestinian terrorists inside the Gaza Strip would hand over their weapons, as the Israeli Defense Forces simultaneously withdraw from the territory and a technocratic government takes over.The terror group is now claiming it is finally ready to lay down its weapons, a feat that could reshape the Middle East after nearly two decades of war and bloodshed.“Hamas and other factions have confirmed to mediators their readiness to begin implementing the agreement and move to the second phase, provided it receives Israeli approval and that Israel begins implementing the agreement,” a Hamas official told the Agence France-Presse.“Hamas is urging the US administration to exert pressure on Israel to compel it to abide by the agreement and move to the second phase.”But Netanyahu — who is facing a tough re-election campaign this fall and fierce opposition from the far right to the Gaza peace deal — has already said Israel never agreed to withdraw before Hamas is fully disarmed.In his first public comments on the matter, Netanyahu said Tuesday the IDF would stay put until Hamas has laid down all its weapons.“President Trump thinks — or his team thinks — that they can get Hamas to disarm and demilitarize Gaza,” he said in a video address.“They sent us a draft.

We did not agree to it.It was not our draft.

We sent back our comments.”The draft was the result of separate negotiations between the Trump-controlled Board of Peace and Hamas.Trump last week hailed as a breakthrough that Hamas had agreed to lay down its arms, with the Board of Peace saying Israel would in tandem carry out a phased withdrawal...