Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said Israel will “disarm Hamas either the easy way or the hard way,” a day after the Palestinian group accepted parts of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan. Netanyahu made it clear that Hamas would be demilitarised either through the US proposal or by Israeli military force.
In a video message, Netanyahu said Israel would not completely withdraw from Gaza. “Israel’s military will continue to hold territories it controls in Gaza, and Hamas will be disarmed in the plan’s second phase, diplomatically or militarily. This will happen either the easy way or the hard way,” he said.
The Israeli leader also expressed hope that all hostages held in Gaza could soon be released. “We are on the verge of a very great achievement. I hope that in the coming days, still during the holiday of Sukkot, I will be able to announce the return of all our hostages, the living and the dead,” Netanyahu added. Talks between Israel and Hamas are expected to take place in Egypt on Monday.
On Friday, Hamas said it had accepted key parts of Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan. These include ending the war, Israel’s withdrawal from some areas, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the start of aid and reconstruction work in Gaza. The group’s acceptance came after Trump issued an ultimatum to agree to his proposal by Sunday evening (US time) or face “all hell.”
Following the ultimatum, Trump warned Hamas to “move quickly” toward peace or risk “further devastation.” He also urged Israel to halt its bombing campaign. However, within hours, Israeli airstrikes killed six people in Gaza, four in Gaza City and two in Khan Younis, according to Reuters.
Earlier on Sunday, Trump said Israel had agreed to an initial withdrawal line and that a ceasefire would take effect immediately once Hamas confirms. “Hostage and prisoner exchanges will begin,” Trump said.
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
