Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has flatly rejected calls for a military pullback from the Gaza Strip, dismissing an external proposal to disarm Hamas and signaling that disagreements over the ceasefire’s next phase remain unresolved, even as airstrikes intensify across the enclave.
According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu rebuffed a framework submitted by the so-called “Peace Council” that outlined a pathway for Hamas to relinquish its weapons. “They sent us a plan. We did not agree to it. It is not our plan, and we have sent our comments on it,” the prime minister stated, firmly asserting that the Israeli army would maintain its current positions inside the territory for the foreseeable future.
The prime minister’s hardline stance comes just two days after Hamas, alongside other Palestinian factions, publicly reaffirmed their commitment to the previously brokered agreement governing the second phase of the October 2025 ceasefire. In a formal statement, the factions underscored that all parties must adhere to their reciprocal obligations under the deal, expressing readiness to proceed with the scheduled implementations.
However, ground realities paint a starkly different picture. Palestinian officials and observers accuse Netanyahu’s government of deliberately escalating its aerial bombardment of the Strip—a move Hamas interprets as a calculated effort to undermine the fragile understandings and torpedo any progress toward a permanent truce. The recent uptick in strikes has effectively frozen indirect negotiations, with both sides trading blame for the diplomatic deadlock.
This military escalation unfolds against the backdrop of ongoing Israeli violations of the original ceasefire terms. The relentless bombardment, which has intensified markedly in recent days, continues to exact a heavy toll on civilian infrastructure and non-combatants, compounding what Palestinian authorities and international rights groups describe as a genocidal campaign. With Netanyahu showing no willingness to concede ground militarily, and Hamas insisting on the original deal’s terms, the prospect of further bloodshed looms large over the embattled coastal territory.
Source: Agencies (translated and edited by Al-Manar)