Israel won’t relent on demand Hamas cede control of Gaza, senior Israeli official quoted as saying

Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

Ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with US President Donald Trump, a member of the premier’s entourage is cited by Channel 12 news as saying Israel will not relent on its demand that Hamas disarm and cede control of Gaza.

“Israel cannot give up on [the requirement for] the end of Hamas’s control of Gaza and the demilitarization of the Strip as part of the agreements that will enable the continuation of the [current hostage-ceasefire] deal,” the official tells the news outlet.

“Hamas cannot be involved in any way in the running of Gaza. If Hamas does not accept this, then the US must support Israel in fighting [against Hamas in Gaza] in a different way from the way we were able to fight in the Biden administration era.”

Senior Trump officials have indicated recently that the administration backs the idea that Hamas must go, but the president also says that he wants the fighting to end, with all hostages freed.

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