Israel Will Not Leave Gaza Until Hamas is Fully Disarmed: Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israel will not withdraw from its positions in Gaza until Hamas is completely disarmed. He emphasized that the country's security interests remain paramount, and the Israeli army will maintain control over Gaza until the Palestinian movement is fully disarmed and the region is demilitarized.

Netanyahu also noted that U.S. President Donald Trump and his team believe it is possible to achieve Hamas's disarmament and the demilitarization of Gaza. He revealed that the U.S. had presented a draft proposal to Israel, but Tel Aviv disagrees with certain provisions and has already communicated its observations.

The Prime Minister added that Israeli soldiers in Gaza have been instructed to take all necessary measures to protect their own safety, Israeli territory, and the country's citizens.

Earlier, an advisor to the Prime Minister, Dmitriy Gendelman, stated that Israel's main demand is the complete disarmament of Hamas, including the withdrawal of weapons from Gaza and the complete demilitarization of the area. He indicated that the current document being discussed, consisting of 15 points, does not adequately reflect these demands, and Israel has conveyed its objections to special envoy Tony Blinken.

Simultaneously, Nikolay Mladenov, a senior representative of the Gaza Peace Council, announced that mediator countries are trying to ease the situation following the recent military clashes. It is worth noting that in January 2025, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement mediated by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar. On July 30, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that an agreement had been reached on the implementation of the second phase of this process, which involves the complete disarmament of Hamas's armed groups.