Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed on Sunday his demand for Hamas to disarm and for its leaders to leave Gaza, vowing to escalate pressure on the group while continuing efforts to secure the return of hostages.
Netanyahu stated that Israel would push forward with U.S. President Donald Trump’s “voluntary emigration plan” for Gaza and confirmed that his cabinet had resolved to maintain military and strategic pressure on Hamas. The Palestinian militant group, meanwhile, claims it has agreed to a ceasefire proposal mediated by Egypt and Qatar.
Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri dismissed Netanyahu’s remarks, calling them a formula for “endless escalation” in the region.
Dismissing claims that Israel was stalling negotiations, Netanyahu insisted that talks were ongoing but under active military operations. “We are conducting negotiations under fire, and that makes them more effective,” he said in a video statement on Sunday. “We are beginning to see cracks.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated a demand for Hamas to disarm and for its leaders to leave Gaza as he promised to step up pressure on the group while continuing efforts to return hostages https://t.co/0FYgbUgXJI pic.twitter.com/lQsXoMObw8
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 30, 2025
Hamas Rejects Disarmament, Ceasefire Proposal in Question
On Saturday, Khalil al-Hayya, a Hamas leader in Gaza, stated that the group had accepted a ceasefire proposal that, according to security sources, involved the weekly release of five Israeli hostages. However, he stressed that disarmament—one of Israel’s key demands—remains a “red line” Hamas will not cross.
The ongoing conflict has led to further casualties. On the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, Gaza health officials reported that at least 24 people, including several children, had been killed in Israeli airstrikes. In Khan Younis alone, nine people were killed in a single tent, authorities said.
Later on Sunday, the Palestinian Red Crescent Service announced that it had retrieved 13 bodies from a site in western Rafah a week after an Israeli attack. Among the dead were seven Red Crescent workers, five members of the Gaza Civil Emergency Service, and a United Nations staffer. The Israeli government has yet to comment on the incident.
Since Israel resumed its military operations in Gaza on March 18, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed, and tens of thousands have been displaced—many of whom had previously returned to northern Gaza following the ceasefire in January.
Netanyahu Stands Firm on Gaza Strategy
Netanyahu reiterated that Hamas must disarm and that its leadership should leave Gaza. He provided no clear timeline for the presence of Israeli forces in the enclave but emphasized that Hamas’s military and governmental structures must be dismantled.
“We will ensure general security in the Gaza Strip and facilitate the implementation of the Trump plan, the voluntary emigration plan,” Netanyahu said. “That is our plan. We do not hide it, and we are ready to discuss it at any time.”
Trump initially proposed relocating Gaza’s 2.3 million residents to neighboring countries such as Egypt and Jordan while developing the Strip into a U.S.-controlled resort. However, no country has agreed to accept large numbers of displaced Gazans, and Israel has since clarified that any departures would be voluntary.
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Eid in Gaza: A Somber Celebration Amid War
Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza following the Hamas-led attack on Israeli communities on October 7, 2023. That assault resulted in around 1,200 deaths, according to Israeli figures, and saw 251 people abducted as hostages.
In response, Israel’s military offensive has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in Gaza. The devastation has left hundreds of thousands of people displaced, forcing them into makeshift shelters and tents amid widespread destruction.
Despite the dire conditions, Palestinians in Gaza sought to observe Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan. “We are here to celebrate God’s rituals amid destruction and the sounds of explosions,” said Minnatallah Al-Far from Jabalia, a heavily bombarded area in northern Gaza. “Others are celebrating Eid in peace and safety, but we do so amid devastation and bombardment.”
Netanyahu Faces Domestic Pressure
In Israel, Netanyahu continues to face growing public pressure, with waves of protests erupting since military operations resumed in Gaza. Families and supporters of the remaining 59 Israeli hostages have joined demonstrations alongside citizens angered by government actions they view as eroding Israeli democracy.
On Sunday, Netanyahu dismissed criticism, arguing that military pressure had been the only effective means of securing the release of hostages. “Empty claims and slogans will not return our people,” he stated.
