JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the postponement of training for thousands of Palestinian police recruits in Egypt until after Israel’s upcoming elections, according to a report published Sunday by Israel Hayom. The delay reportedly forms part of a broader suspension of plans for Gaza’s reconstruction and the establishment of new security and administrative structures in the Strip.

According to the report by journalist Lilach Shoval, Israel’s Shin Bet security agency recently cleared between 5,000 and 7,000 Palestinian candidates to travel to Egypt for training as members of a new police force intended to operate in Gaza. However, Netanyahu instructed officials in recent days to postpone their departure.

The Shin Bet’s role was limited to conducting security checks on names submitted by the Board of Peace, the international body overseeing implementation of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan.

Sources familiar with the discussions told Israel Hayom that the decision was part of a series of measures postponed by Israel’s political leadership in recent weeks. These reportedly include preparations for rebuilding Rafah, the deployment of a multinational force to Gaza, and the entry of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), established in January under the leadership of Dr. Ali Shaath.

A source familiar with the matter told the newspaper that Netanyahu had delayed numerous initiatives concerning Gaza until after the elections, despite the fact that Hamas had not disarmed and Israel would still need to approve the proposed measures. The source suggested that the delays reflected political considerations rather than progress toward the security objectives required under the Gaza agreement.

Netanyahu’s office, however, rejected the claim that the postponements were connected to the elections. “Since the release of all the hostages, Hamas has systematically violated President Trump’s 20-point plan,” a statement by the Prime Minister’s office stressed. Netanyahu had therefore made clear that there would be no reconstruction and no police force in Gaza until Hamas was fully disarmed and the entire Strip demilitarized.

The postponement could have significant implications for the future of Gaza’s security arrangements. Without an alternative police force, armed Hamas members are expected to continue exercising control on the ground while the organization rebuilds its capabilities and collects money from humanitarian aid trucks entering the Strip, according to sources cited by Israel Hayom.

Israeli officials also fear that Hamas could resume terrorist attacks against Israel, prompting the IDF’s Southern Command to prepare for the possibility of further attacks.

The reported delay comes amid broader international efforts to establish an alternative administration and security structure in Gaza. In September, The Times of Israel reported that approximately 16,500 Palestinians had passed Israeli security screening for the proposed new police force, but were still awaiting permission to leave Gaza for training in Egypt. The report cited officials associated with the Board of Peace.

The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza is intended to oversee civilian governance during a transitional period, while the proposed police force would help maintain public order and replace armed factional control. The broader plan also envisages an international stabilization force supporting security arrangements and reconstruction.