Israel will not withdraw its troops from their current positions in the Gaza Strip without the real disarmament of the Hamas group. This was stated by a senior Israeli official amid a new peace initiative, reports BBC, writes UNN.
Details
The statement came after US President Donald Trump announced that an agreement had been reached on the "complete disarmament" of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza within the second phase of the ceasefire plan.
However, the Israeli representative emphasized that the country's position remains unchanged.
The withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces from the current "yellow line" will not happen without the genuine disarmament of Hamas
Hamas has put forward its own conditions
Hamas stated that they are ready to hand over heavy weapons only after the complete cessation of the Israeli military operation and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip.
The group also emphasized that progress on the peace agreement is possible only if "all forms of aggression" cease and guarantees are provided for the Palestinians' right to self-determination and the creation of an independent state.
Trump said on Friday that Israel is "very pleased" with the proposed agreement and called it "a great step for the Middle East." At the same time, Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir criticized the plan, calling it "unacceptable."
The proposed plan includes the phased disarmament of Hamas, the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, the creation of a Peace Council to oversee the implementation of the agreements, and the subsequent reconstruction of the sector. Currently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not officially commented on the new initiative.