Prime Minister Netanyahu rejected the 15-point roadmap for the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire. Speaking at the opening of the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said Israel had not approved the plan.
Netanyahu said the Israeli army would not withdraw from the areas it occupies in the Gaza Strip until Hamas was completely disarmed. He said the disarmament must cover all weapons, including heavy and light arms, and stressed that it must be genuine rather than merely symbolic.
Talks with the US on disarming Hamas
Netanyahu said they were holding talks with the US administration on disarming Hamas, adding that they considered some of Washington's proposals acceptable and others unacceptable.
Netanyahu said he considered US President Donald Trump among his friends at the White House and argued that Israel could take a stance even against its closest friends when its security was at stake.
Messages on Iran and Lebanon
Speaking about Iran's acquisition of nuclear weapons, Netanyahu argued that Iran would not be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon as long as he remained prime minister.
Netanyahu also addressed the Israeli army's ongoing attacks in southern Lebanon despite the ceasefire. He said the Israeli army was carrying out attacks in the area and claimed that it had targeted Hezbollah members at Ali Taher Hill in Nabatieh Governorate.
The parties' statements on the second phase
Nikolay Mladenov, the High Representative of the Gaza Peace Council, had announced that Hamas accepted the detailed roadmap for the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.
Donald Trump had also announced that the Peace Council had reached an agreement with Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza on laying down their weapons.
Hamas said it viewed the negotiation process with the Palestinian groups and the proposals submitted by the mediators to complete the second phase positively. Hamas said that an end to Israeli attacks and the establishment of a timeline for the agreed issues were its basic conditions.
Hamas had also tied implementation of the second phase to Israel's fully meeting its obligations under the first phase of the ceasefire. The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza also announced that it had completed its institutional and operational preparations to take over administration of the Gaza Strip.
The first phase of the ceasefire and aid to Gaza
The first phase of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip entered into force on October 10, 2025. The agreement provided for a prisoner exchange and increased humanitarian aid deliveries.
Although the ceasefire remained in effect, Israeli attacks and restrictions on aid deliveries to Gaza continued.
