A sitting US senator is openly warning that Hamas and Hezbollah are rebuilding their military strength, even under ongoing ceasefires. Lindsey Graham made the claim while meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, framing it as evidence that Hamas is trying to tighten its grip on Gaza rather than step aside. Netanyahu agreed.
This comes at a tense moment. Gaza’s ceasefire has mostly held since October, though both sides accuse each other of breaking it. Another ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon has also held since late 2024, yet Israel is still striking targets in Lebanon.
US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham says Hamas is rearming rather than disarming, as he meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/iAsnqDkdtw
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) December 21, 2025
Why this matters:
Israel says any real peace depends on both Hamas and Hezbollah being disarmed. The problem is that neither group appears ready to lay down weapons, and Lebanon’s government hasn’t convinced Israel it can force Hezbollah to do so.
Meanwhile, international mediators — the US, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey — are pushing to move into the next stage of the Gaza truce: Israel withdrawing, Hamas stepping aside for a new governing authority, and an international force stabilizing the region. Demilitarizing Gaza is part of that plan.
Hamas is telling the mediators to step in and stop what it calls Israeli violations. At the same time, reports say an Israeli strike on a Gaza school killed six people, including children, fueling more anger and uncertainty.
Bottom line:
Graham is signaling that the ceasefire alone isn’t fixing the core issue — armed control. Israel’s leadership agrees. Hamas and Hezbollah show no interest in disarming. And the roadmap to peace depends on the opposite happening. The standstill could last, or collapse, depending on who moves first.
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