Netanyahu sets terms for ending Gaza war

Shafaq News – Middle East

On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated five principles set by his security cabinet for ending the war in Gaza, insisting that their implementation is the only path to ensuring Israel’s security and achieving what he described as “victory.”

Netanyahu stressed that the principles, approved by the cabinet last week, include the disarmament of Hamas, the return of all hostages — both living and deceased — and the complete demilitarization of the Gaza Strip to prevent the production or smuggling of weapons.

The framework also calls for continued Israeli security control in Gaza, including over the security perimeter, and the establishment of an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.

The measures are part of Israel’s broader war strategy, which the security cabinet advanced on August 14 amid the ongoing war that has killed at least 61,776 Palestinians and injured more than 154,906 since October 7. Gaza’s Government Media Office warned that 40,000 infants face life-threatening malnutrition, 250,000 children under five are suffering from severe food shortages, and 1.2 million minors are living with acute food insecurity.