Gaza’s disarmament a prerequisite for reconstruction, Netanyahu says

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Sunday that the reconstruction process in the Gaza Strip will not take place without dismantling the military infrastructure in the strip and disarming militant groups. Netanyahu said Gaza’s residents are free to choose whether to stay or leave, provided they do not pose a threat, adding that “the threat from Gaza has been eliminated.” For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app. This, he added, was achieved through the buffer zone that Israel created within Gaza. Netanyahu also said the elimination of the threat from Gaza has driven up demand for housing in settlements near the Gaza border, citing what he described as an improved security situation in the area. Hamas’s unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered a devastating military response in Gaza, drawing in Tehran-backed allies like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Yemen’s Houthis - and eventually Iran itself. More than two-and-a-half years later, Gaza remains mired in a severe humanitarian crisis, and despite a fragile ceasefire reached between Israel and Hamas in October 2025, efforts to bring the war to a definitive end have stalled for months. As for Lebanon, Netanyahu said that US President Donald Trump didn’t ask Israel to refrain from taking action against Hezbollah’s tunnels. With AFP Read more: Some Gaza residents say world forgot about Palestine tragedy after Iran war Advertisement Advertisement