Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that Israeli forces will not withdraw from their current positions in Gaza until Hamas is completely disarmed.
In comments made on social media, Netanyahu has hinted that there were disagreements between Israel and the Trump administration over a recently announced deal to disarm the militant group.
The agreement called for Hamas to begin disarming, while Israel would halt attacks and begin withdrawing from Gaza. It was part of an October ceasefire deal that ended major military operations but has stalled in other respects. Instead, Netanyahu has stressed that disarmament should be the first step and that Israeli forces will continue to do “whatever is necessary to defend ourselves, our territory and our citizens.”
"The Trump administration sent us a draft. We did not agree. It is not our draft. We sent our comments. This is our position. We stand firm in defending our interests; I believe we do this with wisdom and determination," he added.
The Palestinian group Hamas said on Friday it was ready to begin the process of disarming as part of a deal announced by US President Donald Trump. The deal also calls for Israel to halt attacks on Gaza and withdraw troops from the territory.
