Egyptian Officials Say Hamas Disarmament Depends on Israel’s Next Government

Senior Egyptian officials told senior U.S. officials that Hamas could be disarmed only under Israel’s next government, during meetings in Egypt with Jared Kushner. They said they expected no meaningful progress under the current government and warned that Hamas would grow stronger. They assessed that substantive movement in Gaza would follow Israel’s election and the formation of a new government. Israel has demanded that Hamas surrender its weapons for removal from Gaza and dismantle its military infrastructure. The assessment concerns the central security condition in the U.S.-led Gaza framework.