By Bhargav Acharya
(Reuters) – The US military command in the Middle East on Wednesday called on Hamas to stop its violence against civilians in Gaza and disarm “without delay”, as the militant group asserts itself by deploying security forces and executing those it considers collaborators of Israel.
Hamas, which has not publicly committed to disarming or ceding power, has gradually sent its men back to the streets of Gaza since the ceasefire began on Friday.
He has killed more than 30 members of “a gang” in Gaza City, a Palestinian security source said Monday, without identifying the gang involved. Hamas has cited crime and security concerns as a reason for its actions as thousands of Palestinians return to the enclave’s shattered north.
“We strongly urge Hamas to immediately cease violence and shooting against innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” Commander Brad Cooper, head of the US military’s CENTCOM, said in a statement.
MESSAGE CONVERTED FROM US
Cooper called on the militant group to withdraw completely, adhere “strictly” to US President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza and lay down its weapons without delay.
“We have conveyed our concerns to the mediators who agreed to work with us to enforce peace and protect innocent civilians in Gaza,” he said.
The security crackdown by the militant group came after Trump suggested Hamas had been given a temporary green light to police Gaza.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump said Hamas had killed “several gang members,” which he said did not bother him.
Trump’s plan calls for Hamas to leave power in a demilitarized Gaza run by a Palestinian committee under international supervision. It calls for the deployment of an international stabilization mission that will train and support a Palestinian police force.
The United States, led by CENTCOM, is expected to deploy up to 200 troops to Israel to assist with stabilization efforts in Gaza. However, no Americans are expected to be deployed to the Palestinian enclave.
(Reporting by Bhargav Acharya in Toronto; Editing by Rod Nickel)