What Is the “Weapon” Israel Wants to Strip from Gaza?

Since the Zionist entity resumed its genocidal war on Gaza on March 18, 2024, it has become increasingly clear that this war goes far beyond any of the pretexts publicly claimed by Israel. The latest offensive did not come as a response to any new developments—it followed countless violations of previous ceasefire agreements, carried out brazenly under the watch of the U.S. administration.

Israel’s renewed aggression reflects not just military ambition, but a strategic partnership, with Washington directing or approving this war as part of a broader agenda. Former U.S. President Donald Trump himself openly linked his economic plans for Gaza with forced displacement schemes disguised as “peace deals.” These moves laid the American groundwork for erasing Gaza from the map—something that Netanyahu personally sought for political and ideological reasons.

But this isn’t merely a military campaign against resistance factions. It’s a war of elimination against the very existence of the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Targeting Civilians as Strategy

Israeli officials and media no longer pretend that civilians are “collateral damage.” The rhetoric has shifted: Palestinian civilians are now declared targets. This shift reveals the war’s true nature—a genocide in the clearest, legal and moral sense. Gaza is being obliterated, not because of resistance activity, but precisely in the absence of it, as Israel attempts to remove the people, not just their fighters.

Even the October 7 events—often cited as justification—have been exhausted as a rationale. The mass killing, starvation, and destruction being carried out today are not acts of “self-defense.” They are part of a calculated campaign of collective punishment and demographic cleansing. The aim is no longer military—it is existential erasure.

The Trap of Disarmament Proposals

In recent ceasefire proposals—such as the one Egypt passed to Hamas—two red lines were included:

1. 1. A demand for disarmament of the resistance in Gaza

1. 1. A phased release of Israeli captives, without clear guarantees from Israel

Hamas categorically rejected the condition to dismantle its defensive capabilities. The concern is not just about the principle—but the tactic: this setup makes it easier for Israel to renege on its obligations. Indeed, Tel Aviv has done so before—violating every phase of prior agreements once it retrieved some of its captives.

By frontloading the release of Israeli prisoners and delaying Palestinian gains, Israel crafts exit ramps to resume genocide at will.

A Different Kind of Resistance Strategy

It appears that the resistance has, at times, intentionally withheld conventional responses to Israeli aggression. This is not weakness—it is a calculated form of warfare that:

• • Preserves limited resources

• • Confuses enemy soldiers by avoiding predictable patterns

• • Exposes the pure brutality of Israeli aggression against a largely defenceless civilian population

Even retired American generals have noted how modern resistance movements sometimes hold back to highlight the occupier’s inhumanity, forcing international observers to confront who the real aggressor is. This approach also boosts the psychological strength of the resistance, undermines morale among Israeli troops, and erodes the legitimacy of Israel’s war, even among its own supporters.

The Myth of Disarming Gaza

From a purely military perspective, the resistance in Gaza has already been weakened significantly. It is unreasonable to assume it retains the full strength it had before this latest onslaught. Yet it remains capable—strategically, morally, and symbolically.

Calls for “disarmament” are disingenuous not only because the weapons are largely homemade and limited, but because there is no real “arsenal” to dismantle in the first place.

This is not a conventional army. Gaza’s resistance uses basic, locally manufactured tools to stand against one of the most militarised regimes in the world. What Israel calls “weapons” are, in reality, expressions of the will to survive.

So, What Does Israel Really Want to Disarm?

The true weapon that terrifies the occupier is the Palestinian people—their presence, their numbers, their steadfastness. Gaza’s population is the resistance. Whether holding a stone, a pen, or a memory, they represent a threat to a settler-colonial project that cannot coexist with native sovereignty.

And so, the goal is not disarmament—it is depopulation. Or both.

Because if Israel truly feared Palestinian firepower, it would not be waging this war. It fears the idea that Palestinians will remain on their land, generation after generation. That alone is a defeat Israel cannot accept.

Disarmament as a Euphemism for Ethnic Cleansing

In light of this reality, the demand to “disarm the resistance” must be seen for what it is:

• • A precondition for continued genocide

• • A tool to strip Palestinians of their right to self-defense

• • A mechanism to delay international pressure while accelerating displacement

As writer Saeed Ziyad noted on Al Jazeera, this war is now seen by many—even within Israel—as aimless, destructive, and political, not strategic. Even Israeli soldiers and intelligence officers are losing faith in the campaign.

This is not about tactics, ideology, or even Hamas. This is about the survival of a people—and whether they will be allowed to live with dignity, identity, and presence in their own land.