Ankara: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that the Israeli military will continue its occupation of the Gaza Strip until the Palestinian organization Hamas is completely disarmed.
According to Anadolu Agency, Netanyahu's statement was made in a video posted on Facebook, amid ongoing debates over the roadmap proposed by US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace. This roadmap outlines a plan for Hamas disarmament and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza under a ceasefire agreement. Netanyahu emphasized, "We will not withdraw from our current positions until Hamas is fully disarmed."
Currently, the Israeli army controls approximately 70% of the Gaza Strip. This occupation follows a devastating conflict that has resulted in the deaths of over 73,000 Palestinians and injuries to more than 174,000 people since October 2023, as reported by Palestinian sources. Despite a truce effective since October 10, 2025, Israel has continued its military actions, leading to the deaths of 1,252 Palestinians and injuries to 4,120 others.
Netanyahu also mentioned that President Trump and his team are confident in their ability to disarm Hamas and demilitarize the Gaza Strip, although Israel has not agreed to the draft proposal sent by Trump's administration. "They sent us a draft that we did not approve, and we sent them our comments on it," Netanyahu stated.
While Tel Aviv demands that disarmament must be completed before any withdrawal, the roadmap proposed by the Board of Peace suggests that disarmament and withdrawal occur gradually and concurrently. The roadmap includes transferring administration in Gaza to a Palestinian technocratic committee, deploying an international stabilization force, and placing weapons under the control of the National Committee for Gaza Administration with international oversight, alongside a phased Israeli withdrawal and reconstruction efforts.
The Board of Peace, following a meeting between its envoy Nikolay Mladenov and Netanyahu, clarified that a full Israeli withdrawal would only happen after the dismantling of all weapons and tunnels. Meanwhile, Hamas has reiterated its commitment to the agreed terms regarding the second phase of the ceasefire process.