Netanyahu Says No Gaza Reconstruction Without Dismantling And Demilitarising Hamas

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, “There will be no reconstruction in Gaza without dismantling and demilitarising the Strip,” as he pushed back against reports that the United States was weighing reconstruction in Israeli-controlled parts of Gaza before Hamas surrenders its weapons.

“Behind the News program, in its July 5, 2026 episode, discussed the complexities and implications of the Gaza agreement in light of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement to bar rebuilding the Gaza Strip without Hamas's disarmament”

Al-Jazeera Net

The same set of remarks came as Netanyahu also dismissed reports that U.S. President Donald Trump had asked him not to act against what he called terror tunnels in Lebanon, saying, “I heard it was said in the media that President Trump asked not to act against terror tunnels in Lebanon. This is a legend, fake news.”

Al-Jazeera Net

Ynetnews reported Netanyahu’s office is pushing to arrange a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump as early as this week, with the NATO summit in Turkey potentially delaying it until immediately afterward or even next week.

In that context, Ynetnews said Netanyahu wants to ensure that reconstruction does not begin without the Strip’s demilitarization and the dismantling of Hamas, while also seeking understandings with Trump on Lebanon and Gaza.

The Whistler Newspaper added that Gaza’s reconstruction is estimated to cost $70bn, and that Hamas has recently agreed in principle to terms including handing over heavy weapons, tunnel maps, production sites and weapons caches to a committee, though senior Hamas leaders have rejected key elements of the disarmament demand in recent months.

التلفزيون العربي reported medical sources told Al-Araby TV that two Palestinians were martyred as a result of a drone strike by Israeli forces in downtown Gaza City, with the correspondent Islam Badr reporting the drone targeted a group of Palestinians around the Samer intersection.

The same report said the Israeli army, since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, 2025, continued to carry out airstrikes, firing, and demolitions in various parts of the Gaza Strip, while Israel expanded its occupation to about 70% of its area and confined Palestinians to a zone not exceeding 30%.

Libnanews

In parallel, Netanyahu reiterated his position on reconstruction, with Al-Araby TV citing Yediot Ahronot that he said, “There will be no reconstruction in Gaza without disarming the Strip.”

Al-Araby TV also included an interview with Israeli affairs researcher Jaki Khouri from Nazareth, who said, “there is control over up to 70% of the territory, there are controls at the crossings, and control over everything at sea, air, and land.”

The report framed the political question as whether Israeli election calculations were pushing to resume hostilities, and Khouri said the military leadership continues its policy since the ceasefire: if Hamas military activity or attempts to reorganize are observed, they are dealt with even if that targets police officers and others.

Ynetnews said Netanyahu is expected to seek understandings with Trump on two other fronts, including Gaza, and it described Israel’s desire to put its intelligence on the table before Washington and Tehran resume negotiations on a permanent agreement.

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Mena FN

In a separate thread, جريدة القدس said Israeli media sources revealed security assessments indicating the possibility of resuming military operations in the Gaza Strip within two months, specifically just before the legislative elections scheduled for October.

جريدة القدس also reported that Israeli authorities expect an announcement from the 'Peace Council' chaired by U.S. President Donald Trump stating Hamas is not committed to the signed agreements, and it said the council oversees reconstruction efforts while a National Committee manages daily life in the Strip during the current transitional period.

The same article described that estimates for infrastructure work in targeted areas will take three to six months, paving the way for relocating Palestinian displaced persons there, and it said these operations focus on what is called the 'yellow zone,' the areas where the occupation army is deployed, which account for about 70% of Gaza's total area, according to Netanyahu.

Finally, Al-Jazeera Net’s “Behind the News” episode on July 5, 2026 discussed how Netanyahu “mortgage[s] Gaza's future” to electoral calculations in light of his announcement to bar rebuilding the Gaza Strip without Hamas's disarmament, and it featured guests including Kenneth Katzman and Ahmed al-Tanani.