By Bhargav Acharya
(Reuters) -The U.S. military’s Middle East command on Wednesday called on Hamas to stop its violence against civilians in Gaza and disarm “without delay” as the militant group reasserts itself by deploying security forces and executing those it deems collaborators with Israel.
Hamas, which has not publicly committed to disarming and ceding power, has gradually sent its men back into the streets of Gaza since the ceasefire began on Friday.
It has killed more than 30 members of “a gang” in Gaza City, a Palestinian security source said on Monday, without identifying the gang involved. Hamas has cited crime and security concerns for its actions as thousands of Palestinians return to the enclave’s shattered north.
“We strongly urge Hamas to immediately suspend violence and shooting at innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” Commander Brad Cooper, head of the U.S. military’s CENTCOM, said in a statement.
MIXED MESSAGE FROM U.S.
Cooper asked the militant group to fully stand down, “strictly” adhere to U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, and put down its weapons without delay.
“We have conveyed our concerns to the mediators who agreed to work with us to enforce the peace and protect innocent Gaza civilians,” 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 “a number of gang members,” which he said did not bother him.
Trump’s plan foresees Hamas out of power in a demilitarised Gaza run by a Palestinian committee under international supervision. It calls for the deployment of an international stabilisation mission that will train and support a Palestinian police force.
Led by CENTCOM, the U.S. is expected to deploy up to 200 troops to Israel to help with stabilisation efforts in Gaza. However, no Americans are expected to be deployed into the Palestinian enclave.
(Reporting by Bhargav Acharya in Toronto;Editing by Rod Nickel)
