Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Gaza will not be rebuilt until Hamas is disarmed, underscoring Israel's insistence that lasting peace depends on eliminating the terrorist group's military capabilities.
Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu rejected any reconstruction plan that would allow Hamas to remain armed, reaffirming Israel's position amid reports of differences with the Trump administration over the conditions for rebuilding the war-torn territory.
"There will be no reconstruction in Gaza without the disarmament of Hamas," Netanyahu said, according to the Middle East Monitor.
His remarks followed a report from Israeli outlet Ynet claiming the Trump administration was prepared to move forward with reconstruction even if Hamas did not first surrender its weapons.
Netanyahu did not directly address the report but stressed that Israel's position has not changed.
The prime minister also reiterated support for allowing Gazans who wish to leave the enclave to do so voluntarily.
"Gazans must have freedom of choice: those who want to leave will be able to do so, and those who remain will not be allowed to threaten us," Netanyahu said.
He added that Israel intends to maintain security buffer zones inside Gaza as part of what he described as a "new Gaza envelope."
The comments came before Hamas announced Monday it had dissolved its governing administration in Gaza and would transfer civilian authority to a U.N.-backed technocratic committee as part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement.
However, Hamas stopped short of agreeing to disarm or relinquish control over its weapons, leaving unresolved one of the central issues preventing implementation of the agreement's next phase.
The Board of Peace, the Trump-backed body established to oversee Gaza's governance and reconstruction, responded cautiously, saying it would judge Hamas "by actions, not promises."
The board reiterated that any governing authority must have control over all weapons in Gaza, consistent with the ceasefire framework.
Israeli officials dismissed Hamas' announcement as largely symbolic, arguing that the group's members remain in place and that little has changed on the ground.
Negotiations over the second phase of the ceasefire remain stalled, with Israel insisting Hamas must be disarmed before reconstruction can begin, while Hamas has maintained that rebuilding efforts should proceed before discussions about its arsenal.
Israel has continued military operations against Hamas terrorists despite the ceasefire, saying it targets militants planning attacks.
According to recent reports, Israeli forces also maintain control over significant portions of Gaza as security operations continue.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.