Netanyahu: No Gaza withdrawal before Hamas fully disarmed

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tied any withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip to the complete disarmament of Hamas, stressing that his government has not yet approved the US proposal regarding the enclave and has sent its comments back to Washington.

In a recorded interview, Netanyahu said Israel is committed to what he described as its "security interests," emphasizing that Israeli forces will remain in their current positions until Hamas is fully disarmed.

He added that then-US President Donald Trump and his team believed it was possible to carry out the disarmament of Hamas and remove weapons from Gaza, explaining that the US administration had sent a draft proposal on the matter, which his government is still reviewing after submitting its feedback.

Meanwhile, Hamas has requested clarifications from the "Peace Council" headed by Trump, expressing "discomfort" over a statement issued by the council's top envoy for Gaza, Nickolay Mladenov, following his meeting with Netanyahu.

A Hamas official told AFP that the statement focused on disarmament, without mentioning Israeli military commitments or other agreed-upon terms, including humanitarian issues and a halt to all attacks on Gaza.

Another Hamas official confirmed the group is awaiting a "clear and official response" from Mladenov regarding what was agreed upon and his position on Israeli military escalation and delays in implementing the agreement. The official said Hamas remains committed to the second phase of the ceasefire deal, including provisions for restricting, collecting and storing weapons, while demanding Israel fulfill its obligations.

In a related development, Qatar blamed Israel for delays in implementing Trump's Gaza plan. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said, "It is clear to the international community who is obstructing the agreement," adding that "full responsibility lies with the Israeli side."

Al-Ansari also said that Israel's intensified strikes in recent days are an attempt to undermine peaceful solutions to the conflict.

The "Peace Council" announced after a meeting with Netanyahu that Israel's withdrawal beyond the "yellow line" would only take place after the disarmament process is completed, saying this is based on commitments made by Hamas to mediators.

This position differs from an earlier statement by Nickolay Mladenov, who said Israeli withdrawal should proceed in full parallel with the disarmament process.

On Friday, Hamas announced its approval to hand over its weapons as part of the US president's peace plan for Gaza, while the "Peace Council" published a roadmap calling for gradual disarmament in exchange for a phased Israeli withdrawal. Israel, however, insists on verifiable disarmament before any withdrawal takes place.