Other officials also stated that the alleged new stance of the terrorists only seeks to buy time
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Hamas's statement in which the organization claimed to be willing to reach a "comprehensive agreement" to end the war in Gaza.
In its statement, Hamas set out several conditions: the release of all Palestinian security prisoners, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Strip, the opening of border crossings "for all the enclave's needs," and the start of reconstruction. It also included the release of the 48 hostages still in its custody, of whom Israel estimates only 20 remain alive.
The response from Netanyahu's office was blunt: "Unfortunately, this is another propaganda ploy by Hamas that brings nothing new".
Hamas terrorists
Israel reiterated that the war can end immediately only under the conditions set by the cabinet: release of all hostages, total disarmament of Hamas, demilitarization of Gaza, Israeli security control, and the creation of an alternative civil government that neither encourages nor practices terrorism.
Defense Minister Israel Katz was even more direct: "Hamas keeps closing its eyes and uttering empty words. Very soon it will have to choose between accepting our conditions or seeing Gaza become what Rafah and Beit Hanoun already were. The IDF is preparing at full capacity."
Bezalel Smotrich, Finance Minister and a key figure in the ruling coalition, insisted that the minimum outcome of the war must be clear: hostages released, Hamas disarmed, an Israeli security zone, and long-term freedom of military action within Gaza. "With God's help, we will reach that goal, whether through Hamas's surrender or its destruction in the coming battles," he stated.
Israeli media interpreted the announcement as a pressure tactic, especially as Israel mobilizes tens of thousands of reservists for a ground operation in the heart of Gaza City.
Chief of Staff General Eyal Zamir warned the government that if Hamas is defeated in its strongholds, Israel could be forced to impose full military rule in Gaza by November, becoming the authority responsible for civil life in the enclave.
According to Palestinian sources, Hamas's apparent change in tone reflects two main fears: the possibility of permanent Israeli military control over Gaza and the weight of U.S. pressure, intensified after former President Donald Trump's public demands for the immediate release of the hostages.
