Tel aviv: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Tuesday that Israel will not retreat 'one millimeter' from the 'Yellow Line' in Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed. This assertion comes despite the initiation of the second phase of US President Donald Trump's plan aimed at ending the ongoing conflict.
According to Anadolu Agency, the 'Yellow Line' marks the boundary to which Israeli forces retreated in eastern Gaza during the initial phase of Trump's peace plan. The second phase, which commenced last month, anticipates a gradual Israeli withdrawal from this demarcation.
At a conference organized by the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Katz emphasized, "We will never allow Hamas to remain, not with weapons and not with tunnels. The slogan is simple: until the last tunnel." He reiterated Israel's position, stating, "We will not move from the Yellow Line by one millimeter until Hamas is disarmed, from weapons, from tunnels and from other things."
The urgency of the situation was underscored by Israeli Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs, who indicated on Monday that Hamas has been given a 60-day ultimatum to disarm, with the threat of a resumed conflict if compliance is not observed.
Israel's conflict in Gaza, which began on October 8, 2023, with support from the United States, resulted in over 72,000 Palestinian casualties and left more than 171,000 wounded, predominantly among women and children. The hostilities ceased with an agreement effective from October 10, 2025, yet Israel has continued to conduct airstrikes and demolitions in Gaza, breaching the ceasefire terms.
The disarmament of Hamas is a critical component of the ongoing second phase of Trump's plan, which also includes further Israeli withdrawals, reconstruction efforts, increased humanitarian aid, and the establishment of an administrative body to govern the area.
Yedioth Ahronoth further reported Katz's remarks on the need for Israel to enhance domestic weapons production. He highlighted the necessity for self-reliance in defense due to global competition for resources and occasional discord with international allies.
Katz acknowledged the United States as a "great ally" during what he described as a "multi-front conflict," while also noting some impactful disagreements. In response, the Defense Ministry is launching a long-term initiative, 'Shield of Israel,' aiming to bolster the defense budget by 350 billion shekels (approximately $95 billion) over the next decade. This plan hinges on Israel's robust economic capacity, as Katz stated, "There is no security without an economy, and no economy without security."