Ministers Demand Netanyahu Block Foreign Troops Entering Gaza Until Hamas Fully Disarmed

Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Orit Strook have urgently called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to present a formal decision to the security cabinet that would categorically prohibit the entry of any foreign or multinational forces into the Gaza Strip until Hamas is completely disarmed. Their demand follows a recent inspection by Strook at the LSA base, intended as a reception and staging area for the international force. The inspection revealed extensive and rapidly progressing infrastructure work, including the deployment of 20 large tents, around 100 temporary buildings, military vehicles for approximately 1,000 soldiers, and intense activity by dozens of workers.

According to the ministers' letter to Netanyahu, the base is planned to accommodate up to 5,000 troops, with additional land being prepared for storage and equipment bases. The scale of the preparations far exceeds what was approved or discussed in previous cabinet deliberations and appears intended for missions significantly different from the original understandings. This buildup is occurring while Hamas shows no willingness to relinquish its weapons.

Smotrich and Strook warned against allowing a large multinational force to be ready to enter Gaza under heavy pressure on Israel before the area is fully demilitarized. They demand that Netanyahu bring a corrective and official resolution to the upcoming cabinet meeting, conditioning any foreign troop deployment on the complete disarmament of Hamas and full demilitarization of the territory.