Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on August 9, 2026, that Israel would not withdraw its forces from the Gaza Strip until Hamas had been fully disarmed. His statement rejected key elements of a United States-backed proposal that linked Hamas disarmament to a phased Israeli military withdrawal.
The proposal called for Hamas to surrender its weapons while Israeli forces gradually withdrew from Gaza. It also included plans for an international stabilization force and a Palestinian police structure intended to provide security during a transitional period. Hamas had indicated acceptance of parts of the framework while maintaining conditions concerning the timing and implementation of Israeli withdrawal.
Netanyahu said Israel required the removal of both heavy and light weapons held by Hamas before completing a withdrawal. Israeli officials have maintained that preventing Hamas from rebuilding its military capabilities is a central condition for ending Israeli military operations in Gaza.
The disagreement created another obstacle in negotiations aimed at establishing a longer-term political and security arrangement for Gaza. The United States has continued diplomatic efforts involving Israel, Palestinian representatives, and regional governments in an attempt to establish conditions for disarmament, governance, reconstruction, and Israeli withdrawal.
Israeli forces continued to control substantial areas of the Gaza Strip at the time of Netanyahu's statement. The dispute over disarmament and withdrawal remains connected to wider negotiations concerning Palestinian governance, Israeli security requirements, humanitarian access, reconstruction, and the future political administration of Gaza.
