Netanyahu insists no Gaza withdrawal until Hamas disarms

Source: THE AS­SO­CI­AT­ED PRESS

Is­raeli Prime Min­is­ter Ben­jamin Ne­tanyahu has re­ject­ed the deal on Gaza an­nounced by U.S. Pres­i­dent Don­ald Trump last month, say­ing Is­rael’s mil­i­tary “will not car­ry out any with­draw­al un­til Hamas is gen­uine­ly dis­armed.”

Ne­tanyahu told a Cab­i­net meet­ing that Is­rael is still dis­cussing plans for Gaza with the U.S.

Pres­i­dent Trump had said Is­raeli forces would with­draw from the Pales­tin­ian ter­ri­to­ry as the Hamas mil­i­tant group’s dis­ar­ma­ment is com­plet­ed. Is­raeli forces con­trol over half the en­clave.

“We re­main com­mit­ted to the road map,” said Bassem Naim, a mem­ber of the Hamas po­lit­i­cal bu­reau, adding that it ex­pects me­di­a­tors and the U.S. to pres­sure Ne­tanyahu.

The Hamas-led at­tack on Is­rael on Oct. 7, 2023, sparked the war in Gaza.

A frag­ile cease­fire con­tin­ues. —(AP)