ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip cannot begin until Hamas is disarmed, according to a media report from the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth.
The media report said Netanyahu did not directly deny the reports when addressing previous media reports claiming that the U.S. government has decided to drop the disarmament of Hamas as a precondition for Gaza's reconstruction. However, he firmly emphasized that Israel would absolutely not accept the reconstruction of Gaza without the territory being demilitarized first, the report noted.
A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on Oct 10, 2025. Its first phase included an exchange of prisoners and detainees between the two sides, the entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from some areas of Gaza.
The United States announced in mid-January the start of the second phase, which focuses on Gaza's demilitarization, reconstruction, transitional governance, and full Israeli withdrawal.
Regarding the situation in Lebanon, the report said Netanyahu firmly denied the rumor that U.S. President Donald Trump had pressured Israel to refrain from taking action against Hezbollah tunnels in Lebanon. He stated that the United States had made no such request and that Israel's military operations were based entirely on its own considerations.
