Netanyahu Says Israel Focuses on Disarming Hamas and Demilitarizing Gaza

JAKARTA - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that Israel would shift its focus to disarming Hamas and demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, after the return of the last hostage from the Palestinian territory.

Netanyahu stressed that there would be no reconstruction in the Palestinian enclave until the two missions, the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of Gaza, were completed.

In addition, Netanyahu also promised to block the formation of a Palestinian state in Gaza, stressing that Israel would maintain security control over Gaza and the occupied West Bank, despite the growing international recognition of the Palestinian state.

"Now we are focused on completing the two remaining tasks: disarming Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza from weapons and tunnels," Netanyahu said at a televised press conference, launching Al Arabiya from AFP (28/1).

"This will be done in an easy way or a difficult way. But either way, it will happen," he continued.

"I even now hear claims that reconstruction of Gaza will be allowed before demilitarization, this will not happen," Netanyahu said.

It is known that the US-sponsored Gaza ceasefire plan, which has been in effect since October 10, stipulates the return of all hostages held in the region in the first phase and the disarmament of Hamas in the second phase.

The Israeli military (IDF) on Monday announced that the body of the last hostage still in Gaza, Ran Gvili, had been found and brought home to Israel.

Although Hamas said Gvili's return showed its commitment to the ceasefire agreement, the group has so far refused to agree to lay down its arms.

In his remarks on Tuesday, Netanyahu continued by saying the establishment of a Palestinian state in Gaza "has not happened and will not happen," claiming it has "repeatedly obstructed" the implementation of the two-state paradigm.

The war in Gaza, which has devastated much of the territory, has accelerated international calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state, with several Western countries last year taking steps to formally recognize Palestine as a state.

However, Netanyahu stressed that Israel would continue to "exercise security control from the Jordan River to the sea, and that applies to the Gaza Strip as well."