Israel Could Send Humanoid Robots Into Gaza’s Tunnels Amid Talks With Firm Backed by Eric Trump

The Israel Defense Forces are expected to buy up to 1,000 humanoid robots to potentially send to Gaza's tunnels, according to a new report.

The IDF is immersed in talks with Foundation Future Industries about purchasing its Phantom MK1 robots to patrol the tunnels, which are controlled by Hamas, The Financial Times noted.

The robots, the outlet said, are capable of engaging in combat, neutralizing explosive devices and detecting trip wires. They cost around $150,000 per unit. "We're in direct talks with the chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces," company co-founder and president Mike LeBlanc told the outlet.

He went on to defend the decision to build the robots, saying "if you can keep somebody from having to kick in a door not knowing if there's an enemy on the other side with a gun pointed at it, that's kind of the highest purpose of what these robots could do."

Eric Trump holds an equity stake in the company. A spokesman for President Donald Trump said the president had "no involvement in Foundation's management, operations, strategic decisions or commercial activities, including the solicitation, negotiation, procurement or execution of any government contracts".

The potential development comes as Trump's Gaza peace plan approved by his Board of Peace remains stalled, largely as a result of uncertainty tied to the Israeli elections, which took place in late October.

Both Israel and Hamas, which rules Gaza, agreed to the first phase of the 20-point plan, which led to a ceasefire and the release of the last hostages kept in the enclave.

The plan then contemplated disarming Hamas, demilitarizing Gaza and having a Palestinian technocratic government take over.

The Board of Peace reached an agreement with Hamas in July to do so, the outlet said, but Netanyahu's government has not allowed its implementation. The prime minister is reportedly skeptical of Hamas' commitments and believes its rearming and seeking to maintain control.

Netanyahu has said that the Israel Defense Forces would not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas is 'genuinely disarmed', adding that the country would continue acting against threats to its troops and citizens. Netanyahu also made clear that he believes disarmament must include both heavy and lighter weapons, rather than a limited surrender of military capabilities.

Israeli intelligence officials presented a report to U.S. counterparts in October claiming that Hamas has no intention of disarming and is seeking to build up forces in Gaza again, according to another report.

The Israel Defense Forces concluded that Hamas repaired its tunnel system in Gaza and continues to produce weapons in the areas it still controls, also managing to bring back its number of operatives to between 35,000 and 40,000, the figure before the war began.