Israel won’t hesitate to re-invade Gaza to dismantle Hamas if the terror group refuses to uphold President Trump’s peace plan and disarm, Israel’s ambassador to the US said Friday.
In an exclusive sit-down with The Post, Yechiel Leiter stated that the Jewish State wasn’t confident that the terrorist group would cede control of the region in accordance with Trump’s peace plan — and Israel could be forced to take matters into its own hands.
“I don’t see a terrorist organization that defines itself through weapons and through terror disarming,” Leiter said Friday.
“The president has made it clear that if they don’t disarm, Israel is going to have a green light to go back. And we’re not going to live with jihadis on our border and everybody understands that.”
Leiter would not say how long Israel is willing to wait for Hamas to back down, but said officials are “realistic and with a little tilt towards optimism” that the miltant group responsible for the Oct. 7 terror attack would comply with Trump’s peace plan that would transform Gaza into a “deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.”
Should Israel re-invade Gaza, it would do so “in tandem” with the US, Leiter said.
Israel is “very positive,” however, that peace talks are progressing in the right direction, which could eliminate the potential need for a re-invasion.
“But we’re ready to do it if we have to. We’re not going to live with this Hamas terror on our border,” said Leiter.
Netanyahu reportedly does not believe the international body led by Trump to oversee Gaza will be successful in disarming Hamas, which is why he ordered the IDF to prepare a “contingency plan.”
Earlier this month, Israel told The Post that the Israel Defense Forces would implement operations in the Gaza Strip, including in the city of Deir al-Balah, if Hamas refuses to disarm.
The military claims Hamas was violating the cease-fire agreement — which was brokered in October — “every day” and was even still killing IDF soldiers.
The IDF is working to fill the 300 miles of Hamas tunnels, but has only found an estimated 1/3 of the total, said Leiter.
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