Netanyahu: Hamas will be disarmed, Gaza demilitarized — ‘diplomatically or militarily’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, continuing his short video statement, argues that the only reason Hamas is willing to release all the hostages is military and diplomatic pressure.

He dismisses the claim, which he says is made by his critics, that “Hamas was ready a year or even two years ago to free all our hostages without a full [IDF] withdrawal from Gaza. That’s a complete lie,” he says. “What brought the change in Hamas’s stance was solely the military and diplomatic pressure we brought to bear.”

Netanyahu returns to an oft-used line that he withstood “enormous pressure” internationally and at home to end the war and give in to Hamas demands.

He thanks US President Donald Trump for his firm support and for joining in the strikes on Iran’s nuclear program.

He says in English that “it’s true; it’s for real” that Israel can get the release of all the hostages without withdrawing from the Gaza Strip. “With God’s help, it will happen very soon.”

Netanyahu says he told Israel’s negotiating team, led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, to head to Cairo to nail down the “technical details” of the hostage release.

” Our intention and that of our American friends is to limit this negotiation to a few days,” says Netanyahu. He notes that Trump has today said he won’t tolerate any Hamas delaying tactics.

In the second phase of the deal, says Netanyahu, “Hamas will be disarmed, and the Gaza Strip will be demilitarized.”

“It will happen either diplomatically, according to the Trump plan, or militarily, by us,” Netanyahu warns.