On Sunday’s broadcast of Meet the Press on NBC, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R‑S.C.) delivered a stark assessment from Tel Aviv regarding the status of the Trump‑brokered Middle East peace plan, saying Hamas has failed to disarm and is actively rearming instead. Speaking after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Graham made clear that the ceasefire agreement’s conditions have not been met and warned that further action may be necessary.
Anchor Kristen Welker noted that it has been roughly 90 days since President Donald Trump helped negotiate a ceasefire and a multi‑phase plan for Gaza that included the disarmament of Hamas and the transfer of security control to an international force. Welker asked Graham whether Hamas is ready to disarm as required under the agreement.
Graham’s response was unequivocal. “Absolutely not,” he said. “One of the reasons I came here is to answer that question. What did I learn on this trip? That Hamas is not disarming. They’re rearming. Hamas is not abandoning power. They’re consolidating power.” Graham said his information comes not only from Israeli military intelligence and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), but also from American personnel on the ground.
The senator emphasized that no peacekeeping or stabilizing force can effectively operate in Gaza until Hamas relinquishes its weapons. “There’s nobody coming over the horizon to disarm them,” he said, arguing that the peace plan’s next phase cannot proceed without meaningful compliance from the terror group.
Graham urged President Trump to meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu in the coming week to establish a firm deadline for disarmament. “Put Hamas on a time clock,” he said. “If they don’t turn over their weapons and stop rearming at a date certain, I would unleash Israel on them. That’s what I would do.”
Graham also credited Trump with securing the existing ceasefire and acknowledged the administration’s role in brokering a pause in violence. However, he made it clear the fight against Islamist terrorism is far from over, and dramatic measures may be required if Hamas continues to resist giving up its arsenal.
