Influential US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham today accused the Palestinian group "Hamas" and the Lebanese movement "Hezbollah" of rearming, Agence France-Presse reported, BTA reported.
After two years of deadly and destructive war in the Gaza Strip, a fragile truce has been observed between Israel and "Hamas" in the Palestinian territory since October of this year, although both sides accuse each other of violating it. A ceasefire between Israel and "Hezbollah" came into effect in November 2024 in Lebanon, after two months of open war. However, Israel continues to strike Lebanese territory, claiming that its target is the Islamist movement, recalls AFP.
Israel has made the destruction of the military arsenals of the two Iranian-backed organizations one of its main conditions for establishing a lasting peace.
"My impression is that "Hamas" is not disarming, it is rearming. My impression is that in Gaza they are trying to consolidate their power, not give it up. My impression is also that "Hezbollah" is trying to produce more weapons. That is not an acceptable outcome," the senator told reporters when he was welcomed in Jerusalem by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"You are right on both counts," Netanyahu said, hailing Graham as "a great friend of Israel, a great personal friend."
Since the entry into force of the fragile Gaza ceasefire on On October 10, mediators called for intensified efforts to move to the next phase of the peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump. This stage envisages the disarmament of "Hamas", the gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army from the entire territory, the establishment of a transitional authority and the deployment of international forces.
Yesterday, the US and the guarantors of the ceasefire - Egypt, Qatar and Turkey - called on Israel and "Hamas" to respect their obligations and show restraint in the Gaza Strip.
"Hamas", for its part, called on Israel to stop violating the ceasefire. The Civil Defense Service in Gaza reported that six people, including two children, were killed on Friday in an Israeli bombardment of a school housing displaced residents of the Palestinian enclave.