Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israeli forces will remain in their current positions in Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed….reports Asian Lite News Desk
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will not withdraw its forces from their current positions in the Gaza Strip until Hamas has been fully disarmed, signalling that any military pullback remains contingent on the armed group’s surrender of its weapons.
In a video statement posted on social media, Netanyahu said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had been instructed to take all necessary measures to safeguard Israeli citizens and territory.
“We are instructing IDF soldiers to do whatever is necessary to protect themselves, our territory and our citizens,” Netanyahu said.
His comments came amid ongoing discussions over a proposed Gaza ceasefire and governance framework that US President Donald Trump said had been agreed by the so-called “Board of Peace”. Trump described the proposal as providing for the “complete disarmament” of Hamas and other armed groups operating in Gaza.
However, Netanyahu said Israel had not accepted the draft presented by Washington.
“The White House sent us a draft, but we did not agree to it,” he said.
“It is not our draft. We sent our comments.”
A day after Trump’s announcement, Hamas said it had accepted the “latest version of the roadmap” for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement following what it described as “fierce” negotiations. However, the group said any arrangements concerning its weapons would depend on a complete end to what it called Israeli “aggression”, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and progress towards reconstruction.
The differing positions highlight the significant obstacles that remain despite diplomatic efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza also remains critical. Over the weekend, Israeli air strikes reportedly killed dozens of people, including children and other civilians, across the territory. The reported attacks prompted Qatar, Egypt and Turkiye, which are mediating the ceasefire negotiations, to issue a joint condemnation on Monday.
The proposed roadmap, announced by Trump as part of a broader Gaza peace initiative, extends beyond a ceasefire by outlining a phased political transition for the territory.
According to senior administration officials, Hamas has agreed to relinquish both its civilian and military role in governing Gaza under the internationally backed framework. The proposal would transfer authority to a transitional Palestinian administration known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.
Officials said the roadmap marks the first time Hamas has agreed to an international framework requiring it to give up its governing role while allowing a new Palestinian authority to take responsibility for administering the territory.
Under the proposal, the National Committee would become the sole body responsible for civilian administration, internal security, public institutions and essential services throughout Gaza during the transitional period. The plan also calls for a comprehensive audit of Gaza’s financial and administrative systems before reconstruction efforts begin.
Despite those proposals, Netanyahu’s latest remarks suggest Israel remains unwilling to reduce its military presence in Gaza until it is satisfied that Hamas has been completely disarmed, leaving a key point of contention unresolved in the negotiations.
