President Donald Trump’s latest proposal has sparked global headlines, with much of the coverage centered on whether Israel will withdraw from Gaza. It is an important question. Yet a far more consequential one remains: What will it take to fully and verifiably disarm Hamas?

“It’s a step in the right direction,” Lt. Col. Res. Jonathan Conricus, former Israel Defense Forces international spokesperson, told me. “A lot of people in Israel and probably many Gazans want this to succeed desperately.”

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For Conricus, success means seeing “Gaza demilitarized, Hamas’s weapons taken away, and a new type of leadership in Gaza take root, one that isn’t about jihad, that isn’t about fighting with Israel, but is about respectful coexistence.”

The vision he described was not one of endless war or permanent Israeli control, but of a demilitarized Gaza led by Palestinians committed to security, stability, and coexistence.

He is right to place disarmament at the center of the debate. Promises on paper cannot protect Israeli civilians, prevent Hamas from rebuilding, or ensure that another Oct. 7, 2023, never occurs. Disarmament must be demonstrated, independently verified, and continuously enforced. His call for new leadership in Gaza that rejects jihad and embraces respectful coexistence also reflects a conclusion we both share: Disarmament cannot be limited to weapons alone.

In my view, in addition to dismantling Hamas’s military capabilities, true disarmament must confront the educational and ideological infrastructure that has exposed children to the glorification of violence, martyrdom, and the destruction of Israel. Weapons can be surrendered. Commanders can be removed. Military infrastructure can be destroyed. But if the ideology that........

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