Netanyahu: No Withdrawal from Gaza Until Hamas Is Disarmed
Israeli Prime Minister rejects US draft agreement, stressing that disarmament of Hamas must come first, as the number of identified victims from earlier phases of the conflict rises.
Israeli Prime Minister rejects US draft agreement, stressing that disarmament of Hamas must come first, as the number of identified victims from earlier phases of the conflict rises.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, that Israeli forces will not withdraw from their current positions in the Gaza Strip until the Palestinian movement Hamas is fully disarmed. This statement casts new light on the recently announced agreement by the administration of US President Donald Trump and represents a rare public sign of friction between the two close allies. Netanyahu, who faces a tough re-election battle in October, reiterated his stance that disarmament must take priority.
In a video message on social media, Netanyahu clarified that Israel has not accepted the American proposal. "President (Donald) Trump and his team think they can force Hamas to disarm and demilitarize Gaza; we are examining that; they sent us a draft; we did not agree; it is not our draft; we sent our comments," Netanyahu said. He emphasized that this is their firm position, adding: "We stand firmly by our interests, wisely and decisively, I believe."
The agreement, based on the ceasefire from October 2025, envisioned the beginning of Hamas's disarmament, a halt to Israeli strikes, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from approximately 60% of Gaza's territory they currently control. The October 2025 ceasefire ended major military operations and allowed for the release of remaining hostages but stalled on other fronts. Under this agreement, an International Stabilization Force was to be deployed, and an independent Palestinian administration was to take over governance and reconstruction.
However, the key point of contention remains the sequence of steps. Israel insists that everything depends on whether Hamas lays down its arms, while Hamas demands that Israel first cease attacks and begin withdrawal. Both sides accuse each other of violating the ceasefire. Netanyahu reiterated that Israeli forces will continue to "do everything necessary to protect themselves, our territory, and our citizens."
On the same day, Palestinians gathered for a mass burial of more than 100 bodies finally recovered after a deadly Israeli attack in Gaza in 2023. These are victims of the attack on November 22, 2023, when Israeli warplanes leveled a residential block in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza, killing more than 300 people.
These discoveries have further increased the already high casualty count in a conflict that escalated with the Hamas-led militant attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. That attack killed about 1,200 people, and 251 people were taken hostage. According to data from the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 73,377 Palestinians have been killed in the ensuing Israeli offensive, including the period since the ceasefire was signed.
While efforts for a lasting peace continue, Palestinian political analyst Ahmed Najar, speaking to MEE Live, pointed to a broader geopolitical framework. He argued that Israel and the European far right are building a mutually beneficial relationship, despite the far right's long history of anti-Semitism. According to Najar, the European far right uses support for Israel to legitimize anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim policies, while Israel gains the opportunity to portray its war as part of the same struggle and label critics of its policies as anti-Semites.
"They benefit from building this kind of relationship. We will likely see more attacks of Islamophobia," Najar warned. This relationship, he claims, strengthens the political narratives of both sides and fosters the growth of Islamophobia across Europe.
