Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that Gaza will be demilitarized as part of a U.S.-brokered peace initiative.
This comes as Hamas announces that it has agreed to release all remaining hostages held in the territory following the unveiling of a 20-point peace plan by the United States President Donald Trump.
The development came as the Sunday deadline issued by Trump to Hamas looms.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu, in a video address released on Saturday, maintained that Gaza will be demilitarized as part of the peace plan.
According to Netanyahu, the hostage release—potentially involving up to 48 captives, with only around 20 believed to be alive—marks the first phase of a comprehensive 20-point plan unveiled earlier this week by Trump during a White House meeting with the Israeli leader.
Netanyahu also argued that the only reason Hamas is willing to release all the hostages is military and diplomatic pressure.
He dismisses the claim, which he said is made by his critics, that “Hamas was ready a year or even two years ago to free all our hostages without a full [IDF] withdrawal from Gaza. That’s a complete lie.
“What brought the change in Hamas’s stance was solely the military and diplomatic pressure we brought to bear.”
Netanyahu returned to an oft-used line that he withstood “enormous pressure” internationally and at home to end the war and give in to Hamas demands.
He appreciated Trump for his firm support and for joining in the strikes on Iran’s nuclear program.
“Our intention, and the intention of our American friends, is to bind the negotiations into a matter of days.
“Hamas will be disarmed, and the Gaza Strip will be demilitarized.”
“It will happen either diplomatically, according to the Trump plan, or militarily, by us,” Netanyahu added.
Netanyahu’s comments that Gaza will be demilitarized came after Hamas said it has agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, as long as “the field conditions for the exchange are met”
The group also expressed willingness to negotiate through mediators on Trump’s plan for peace in the Middle East.
In its statement on Friday, Hamas said that the group “affirms its readiness to immediately enter into negotiations through the mediators to discuss the details of this agreement.”
“The movement also renews its agreement to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independents (technocrats), based on Palestinian national consensus and Arab and Islamic support,” Hamas said.
Meanwhile, Hamas on Friday also said it wanted to further discuss other elements of the peace plan.
“The other issues mentioned in President Trump’s proposal regarding the future of the Gaza Strip and the inherent rights of the Palestinian people are linked to a comprehensive national position and based on relevant international laws and resolutions,” the group said.
“They are to be discussed within a comprehensive Palestinian national framework. Hamas will be part of it and will contribute to it with full responsibility.”
Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority which administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, welcomed Trump’s announcement and praised the president’s efforts to end the war in Gaza.
“What matters to us now is the immediate commitment to a complete ceasefire, the release of all hostages and prisoners, the introduction of urgent humanitarian aid through United Nations organizations, ensuring no displacement or annexation, and starting the reconstruction process,” he said in a statement Saturday.
Reacting to Hamas’ statement, Trump said on his Truth Social account: “Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE. Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly! Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that.
“We are already in discussions on the details to be worked out. This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long sought PEACE in the Middle East.”
