by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
(Worthy News) – U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has privately warned that President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace initiative could face serious implementation problems because of insufficient personnel, uncertain resources, and plans to reduce American military involvement, according to an exclusive report by Politico.
In a diplomatic cable sent Thursday to senior State Department officials, Huckabee questioned whether the U.S.-led Board of Peace and the American Embassy in Jerusalem were adequately prepared to assume responsibility for coordinating Hamas disarmament, international security arrangements and Gaza’s reconstruction.
The cable, classified as “sensitive but unclassified,” focused on the International Gaza Support Center (IGSC), the American-led coordination hub in Israel responsible for facilitating cooperation between Washington, Jerusalem and international partners.
The Pentagon reportedly intends to gradually reduce its personnel at the center over the coming year, transferring responsibilities to civilian officials. However, Huckabee warned that neither the embassy nor the Board of Peace currently has sufficient staffing to guarantee a successful transition.
“Embassy Jerusalem is not currently staffed to assume these roles, but can be if it has an idea of the human, financial and logistical resources that will be needed,” Huckabee wrote, according to Politico.
He also cautioned that replacing military personnel with civilians could complicate intelligence sharing and operational coordination with the Israel Defense Forces.
Hamas Disarmament Remains Central Obstacle
The ambassador’s concerns come as Trump’s broader Gaza peace initiative continues to struggle with its most difficult provisions, particularly the disarmament of Hamas and the establishment of a functioning international security force.
According to Reuters, the October 2025 ceasefire secured the release of the remaining Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees. However, subsequent efforts to disarm Hamas, establish new governance arrangements and secure an Israeli military withdrawal have stalled.
Although Hamas indicated in July that it would place its weapons under the control of a U.S.-backed Palestinian administration, Israel has insisted on complete disarmament before withdrawing its forces.
Meanwhile, the proposed International Stabilization Force, envisioned to eventually include approximately 20,000 troops and train 12,000 Palestinian police officers, has yet to become fully operational.
Huckabee subsequently told Fox News that the Board of Peace could continue making progress, but attributed delays primarily to Hamas and its failure to fulfill disarmament commitments.
Reconstruction Plans Face Enormous Challenges
Beyond security concerns, Gaza’s reconstruction presents another significant obstacle.
The Board of Peace unveiled an initial $2.45 billion reconstruction initiative in September, although international assessments estimate that rebuilding the war-ravaged territory could require more than $71 billion over the next decade.
The Board of Peace defended its preparations in response to Politico, maintaining that its systems and operational plans were ready to support humanitarian assistance, security, governance and reconstruction.
Nevertheless, Huckabee’s diplomatic cable underscores the difficulties facing Washington as it attempts to transform a fragile ceasefire into a lasting political and security arrangement.
With Hamas disarmament unresolved, Israeli troops maintaining control over much of Gaza and international reconstruction efforts awaiting effective security guarantees, the success of Trump’s peace initiative remains uncertain.
For Israel, the central question is whether the proposed international arrangements can eliminate Hamas’s military capabilities while preventing Gaza from again becoming a launching ground for terrorist attacks.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
