Hamas has rejected an ultimatum from a senior Israeli official demanding that the group disarm within 60 days. As reported by Al Jazeera, the warning included the threat of renewed war in Gaza if Hamas fails to comply.
The deadline was outlined by Israeli Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs, a close aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Speaking at a conference in Jerusalem, Fuchs said Israel would resume military operations in Gaza if Hamas did not disarm within two months, adding that the 60-day timeline had been requested by the United States and that Israel was “respecting that.”
Hamas swiftly rejected the claim. Senior official Mahmoud Mardawi said he had no knowledge of any formal demand and described the statements as threats “with no basis in the ongoing negotiations.” He warned that restarting the war would have “serious repercussions for the region” and said “the Palestinian people will not surrender.”
A February meeting could shape the next phase of the conflict
Fuchs suggested the 60-day period could begin after a February 19, 2026, meeting of President Trump’s Board of Peace, which is expected to review a Washington-backed reconstruction plan for Gaza. He said Israel would assess the outcome of that plan and, if it failed, the military would “complete the mission.” In Washington, Pam Bondi’s Epstein letter also drew renewed attention.
The warning comes amid a prolonged and devastating conflict. Since October 2023, more than 72,000 people have been killed, including thousands of children. A US-brokered ceasefire began in October, but Gaza authorities say Israel has violated it 1,520 times, with more than 600 Palestinians killed since it took effect.
Destruction remains widespread in northern Gaza. On February 15, 2026, civil defense teams working with the International Committee of the Red Cross searched rubble in Beit Lahiya for bodies following Israeli attacks.
Humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate as essential supplies, including food and medical materials, face restrictions on entering the territory. Roughly two million Palestinians live in Gaza, with about 1.5 million displaced, and Thomas Massie’s Epstein safety concerns were also raised publicly this week.
The question of disarmament is central to the ceasefire’s second phase, which began in mid-January and was intended to address Hamas’s weapons and the potential deployment of an international peacekeeping force. Hamas has refused to disarm while Gaza remains occupied. Earlier this month, Khaled Meshaal, the group’s political leader abroad, said removing weapons from an occupied population would leave it vulnerable.
Published: Feb 17, 2026 07:15 am