Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed his commitment to disarming Hamas, warning that it will happen “the easy or the hard way.” His remarks came a day after the Palestinian group indicated its willingness to accept portions of former US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace proposal, a plan that includes freeing all hostages and moving towards a ceasefire.
Netanyahu said the disarmament of Hamas could be achieved either through Trump’s diplomatic framework or by Israeli military action. The Prime Minister, however, dismissed the possibility of a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, a long-standing demand by Hamas.
אחיי ואחיותיי אזרחי ישראל, אנחנו על סף הישג גדול מאוד.
זה עדיין לא סופי, אנחנו עובדים על כך במרץ, ואני מקווה בעזרת השם שבימים הקרובים, עוד במהלך חג הסוכות, אוכל לבשר לכם על השבת כל חטופינו, החיים והחללים כאחד, בפעימה אחת, כשצה”ל נשאר בעומק הרצועה ובשטחים השולטים בה. pic.twitter.com/pekpeVSCkP
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 4, 2025
In a video address delivered in Hebrew, Netanyahu stressed, “Israel’s military will continue to hold the territories it currently controls in Gaza. Hamas will be disarmed in the plan’s second phase, either diplomatically through Trump’s proposal or militarily by us. This will happen either the easy way or the hard way.
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Hope For Hostage Release As Talks Head To Egypt
Netanyahu expressed optimism about the release of all hostages from Gaza in the coming days, ahead of talks scheduled in Egypt. “My brothers and sisters, citizens of Israel, we are on the verge of a significant achievement. This is not final yet, but we are working diligently. I hope that during the festival of Sukkot, I will be able to announce the return of all our hostages, both the living and the deceased,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hamas announced on Friday that it had accepted select parts of Trump’s Gaza peace plan, including the cessation of hostilities, Israel’s partial withdrawal, prisoner exchanges, humanitarian aid, and reconstruction measures. The group also reaffirmed its opposition to any forced displacement of Palestinians from the territory.
Trump Urges Swift Agreement, Israel Conducts New Airstrikes
Former US President Donald Trump had given Hamas until Sunday, 6 p.m. (US time), to agree to his peace proposal or “face all hell.” He warned the group to “move quickly” or risk further devastation in Gaza, while also urging Israel to halt its bombings.
Despite his warning, Israel conducted fresh airstrikes on Gaza hours later, killing six people, four in Gaza City and two in Khan Younis, according to reports by Reuters.
Earlier on Sunday, Trump stated that Israel had agreed to an initial withdrawal line and that a ceasefire would take effect once Hamas confirmed the terms. “After negotiations, Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line shared with Hamas. Once Hamas confirms, the ceasefire will be immediately effective, hostages and prisoners will be exchanged, and we will move closer to ending this 3,000-year catastrophe,” he wrote in his post.
