The Israeli Prime Minister reiterated his support for the peace plan promoted by Donald Trump and warned that Israel will respond forcefully if Hamas doesn't fulfill its part of the agreement
The agreement brokered by Washington allowed the release of 20 Israeli hostages alive in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Additionally, Hamas handed over the remains of eight deceased hostages, while 20 bodies remain unrecovered, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which requested the suspension of the plan's implementation "until all the deceased are returned."
The pact also provides for the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from some areas of Gaza and the immediate arrival of humanitarian aid to the enclave, a step considered key for stabilization after nearly two years of conflict.
Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, warned in an interview with CBS News that if the terrorist group Hamas doesn't agree to disarm, "hell will break loose". The Israeli leader confirmed that Israel has completed the first phase of the peace plan brokered by Donald Trump, but emphasized that the next stage—the demilitarization of Gaza—will be decisive for maintaining stability in the region.
"We agreed to give peace a chance", Netanyahu stated when asked how it is possible to talk about the end of the war when the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) still maintain a presence in Gaza. "We agreed to complete the first part, and now let's give a chance to do the second", he added.
An agreement seeking to end the conflict in Gaza
The 20-point plan promoted by the Trump administration was approved by both Israel and Hamas and includes the surrender of weapons and the total demilitarization of Gaza, prohibiting the production of weaponry and smuggling at the borders.
Benjamin Netanyahu: 'Si Hamas no se desarma, se desatará el infierno'
Netanyahu quoted the U.S. president and warned: "If not, hell will break loose". Trump had stated days earlier that if Hamas doesn't comply, "we will disarm them, perhaps violently."
"I hope it doesn't happen," the Israeli prime minister replied. "I hope we can do it peacefully. We are prepared for it", he added.
Benjamin Netanyahu: 'Si Hamas no se desarma, se desatará el infierno'
"Freedom is not automatic"
When asked what conditions should be met to declare the end of the war, Netanyahu was blunt: "In the foreseeable future, not only for Israel but for the free and civilized world, it is necessary to maintain the ability to defend oneself, because freedom is neither permanent nor automatic. If free societies can't defend themselves, they will be overtaken by authoritarian or totalitarian regimes."
In response to the journalist's comment that this stance "sounds like being at war for another hundred years", Netanyahu replied: "The way to achieve peace is through strength." He recalled the normalization agreements signed in 2020 with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan as examples of how deterrent power can generate regional stability. "I believe we have the opportunity to make peace with many more", he stated.
Israel confirmó que uno de los cuerpos devueltos por Hamas no pertenece a un rehén
Relationship with Donald Trump
When asked about President Trump's remark before the Knesset, where he said that Netanyahu "was not the easiest guy to deal with," the prime minister replied firmly: "I hope he says it because I am very firm on matters concerning my country's future. When I believe what is being asked of me is right, I say so; and when I believe I must say no, I say so. That is my job: to protect the Jewish State and ensure the future of the Jewish people."
