Netanyahu Says Gaza Must Be Demilitarized Before Any Reconstruction

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a pivotal announcement this week, signaling a dramatic shift in the trajectory of post-war Gaza. Speaking at the Knesset, Netanyahu declared that the next phase in the U.S.-brokered peace framework will not center on reconstruction but on the full demilitarization of Hamas and the Gaza Strip.

“We are at the threshold of the next phase: Disarming Hamas and demilitarizing the Gaza Strip,” Netanyahu told lawmakers. The prime minister’s remarks came shortly after the Israel Defense Forces successfully recovered the remains of the final Israeli hostage held in Gaza, ending a harrowing chapter that began with the October 7 massacre in 2023.

The solemn recovery of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili marked the first time in over a decade that no Israeli hostages remain in the hands of Gaza-based terrorists. Standing before the Knesset, Netanyahu removed the yellow hostage ribbon from his lapel, quoting the prophet Jeremiah: “Your children will return to their borders.” The symbol had been worn daily in support of the hostages’ return.

With this mission complete, Netanyahu made clear that peace will only proceed through security. “The next phase is not reconstruction,” he stated firmly. “We have an interest in advancing this phase, not delaying it.”

Echoing U.S. President Donald Trump’s language, Netanyahu noted that disarmament “will happen the easy way or the hard way.” The Trump administration, through its Board of Peace initiative and key figures such as Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, has underscored the necessity of removing weapons from Hamas’s control before any rebuilding begins.

President Trump, speaking in a Monday interview, confirmed that Hamas had assisted in locating Gvili’s body as part of their commitments under the ceasefire deal. Trump praised Israel's efforts and expressed confidence that demilitarization would follow.

However, Hamas leaders continue to resist. In December, senior figure Khaled Mashaal defiantly declared that disarming would betray the “honor and pride” of the Islamic resistance, rejecting all external demands to lay down weapons.

Despite such rhetoric, the momentum is shifting. As part of the latest U.S.-Israel coordination, Israel announced it would reopen the Rafah Crossing with Egypt, allowing for humanitarian passage and the potential entry of reconstruction teams under international oversight. However, the Israel Defense Forces will retain control of the crossing, with all entries monitored through an IDF checkpoint.

Ali Shaath, a representative of the internationally supported National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, welcomed the crossing’s opening, but Netanyahu made clear: any rebuilding effort must follow demilitarization not precede it.

The current posture reflects a new doctrine: no rewards for terror, no reconstruction under threat. For Israel, and for its allies, demilitarization is not just a preference it’s a precondition.

Israel’s actions reinforce a principle long understood in Jerusalem: Peace without security is an illusion. The safety of Israeli citizens must come before the cement and steel of rebuilding Gaza.

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