Israeli Official Insists No Withdrawal Without Hamas Disarmament in Gaza

A senior Israeli official firmly stated that there will be no Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza without the dismantling of Hamas's weapons and combat infrastructure. This response came after Hamas announced it would only consider disarmament following an Israeli withdrawal. The official emphasized that full demilitarization of the Gaza Strip and the terrorist organization is a prerequisite for any Israeli pullback.

This clarification follows a recent announcement by Hamas and a peace council's disclosure of the plan's stages, which controversially suggested that heavy weapons would be stored rather than destroyed, contradicting previous commitments. The Israeli official reiterated that Israel will maintain its current military positions along the "yellow line" until Hamas is genuinely disarmed.

The statement underscores Israel's firm stance on security and the conditions required for any potential easing of military presence in Gaza, highlighting ongoing tensions and the complexity of peace negotiations in the region.