Israel Gives Hamas 60-Day Ultimatum to Surrender All Weapons
Gaza, 17 February 2026
Israeli Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs announced Hamas has 60 days to completely disarm or face renewed military operations. The ultimatum, requested by the Trump Administration, may begin after Thursday’s Board of Peace conference in Washington. Netanyahu demands Hamas surrender all weapons, including 60,000 AK-47 rifles used in the October 7, 2023 massacre, contradicting earlier draft proposals that would allow the group to retain small arms.
Trump Administration’s Role in Disarmament Timeline
The 60-day ultimatum emerges from direct coordination with the Trump Administration, which specifically requested this timeframe according to Cabinet Secretary Fuchs [1]. Speaking at the Besheva Group conference in Jerusalem on 16 February 2026, Fuchs confirmed that Israel is ‘respecting that’ request from Washington [1]. The disarmament deadline could formally commence following the Board of Peace meeting scheduled for Thursday, 20 February 2026, though Fuchs emphasised this start date remains uncertain [1][3]. The Board of Peace, endorsed by a UN Security Council resolution, represents a cornerstone of Trump’s 20-point plan to end the Gaza conflict [3].
Complete Weapons Surrender Required
Israeli officials demand Hamas relinquish all military assets during the 60-day period, with no exceptions for defensive weaponry [1][3]. Prime Minister Netanyahu emphasised on 15 February 2026 that Hamas ‘must give up its weapons, not [just] its main weapons’, specifically targeting the approximately 60,000 AK-47 rifles the group allegedly possesses [1]. Netanyahu described these rifles as causing ‘the most damage’ and being the primary weapons ‘used in the massacre of October 7’ 2023 [1]. This comprehensive disarmament approach directly contradicts a draft proposal reported by The New York Times on 10 February 2026, which would have permitted Hamas to retain ‘some small arms’ whilst surrendering weapons ‘capable of striking Israel’ [1].
Military Operations Continue Despite Ceasefire
Violence persists across Gaza despite the ceasefire implemented in October 2025, underscoring the fragility of current arrangements [4]. On 15 February 2026, Israeli forces killed two terror operatives who approached troops on the Israeli side of the Yellow Line in northern Gaza [1]. The same day, the IDF eliminated six Hamas operatives discovered in tunnels beneath Rafah [1]. Since the October 2025 ceasefire agreement, the IDF has killed or captured approximately 50 Hamas operatives found on the Israeli side of the designated boundary [1]. Between 14 and 15 February 2026 alone, eight Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry [4].
Humanitarian Impact and Regional Consequences
The ongoing violence has exacted a devastating toll on civilian populations since the ceasefire began in October 2025. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 600 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops in the territory since the ceasefire took effect, whilst Israel reports four of its soldiers killed by Palestinian militants during the same period [3][4]. The original conflict, which began with Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack that killed more than 1,200 people according to Israeli tallies, escalated into a two-year war that proved ‘the deadliest for both sides’ [4][GPT]. Israel’s subsequent air and ground campaign in Gaza has resulted in more than 72,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Palestinian Health Ministry data [3]. IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Eyal Zamir warned troops on 14 February 2026 that the military remains prepared to transition ‘from defense to offense’ and will not abandon the objective to ‘completely demilitarize Gaza and disarm Hamas of all its weapons’ [4]. The Trump Administration has mobilised significant international support for Gaza’s reconstruction, with founding members of the Board of Peace pledging more than $5 billion in humanitarian aid alongside ‘thousands of personnel’ for a stabilisation force [3].