The Next Phase Is Not Gaza Reconstruction, But Hamas Disarmament – Netanyahu

Following the news of the discovery of the last hostage, Ran Gvili's body, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Knesset from the podium during a special session held in honor of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama's visit.

After thanking the Israeli Defense Forces and Shing Bet for their efforts in returning Gvili's remains to Israel, Netanyahu stated that the next step of the program, the disarmament of the Hamas terrorist organization, can now begin.

“The next phase is not the reconstruction of Gaza, but the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of Gaza,” the state leader reminded, noting that “the advancement of this phase is in Israel's interests.”

“And we will do it—whether smoothly or with immense effort, but we will do it in any case,” the Prime Minister emphasized.

It is worth recalling that Israel had previously issued a strict ultimatum to Hamas: following the establishment of a “Peace Council” and the formation of a Palestinian technocratic committee to govern Gaza, the group is required to completely disarm and dismantle its military structures within two months.