Netanyahu: Gaza war will end after Hamas is disarmed

Shafaq News – Middle East

On Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the war in Gaza will not end until Hamas is completely disarmed.

In an interview with the right-wing Israeli Channel 14, Netanyahu stated that “Phase B [of the ceasefire deal] also includes the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip,” adding, “I said we will change the face of the Middle East — and that is what happened.”

Brokered by the United States, the agreement, among other provisions, stipulates “demilitarization of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use.”

US President Donald Trump earlier warned that Washington would “forcibly disarm” Hamas if the group refuses to comply or attempts to reassert control in Gaza.

However, Hamas has repeatedly rejected any plan to disarm, with senior official Mahmoud Mardawi recently calling such claims “fabricated” and intended to distort the group’s position.

Since October 7, 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 68,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 170,000, most of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.