Israel demands Hamas leave Gaza

West Jerusalem will ensure security in the enclave once the militant group goes, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said

Israel is ready to negotiate an end to the Gaza conflict if Hamas lays down arms and leaves the enclave, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared.

The Jewish state and militant group initially agreed to a fragile three-stage ceasefire in January, after 15 months of hostilities in Gaza. In mid-March, however, Israel resumed airstrikes and ground operations in the embattled enclave as talks with Hamas over the release of the remaining hostages and implementation of the truce collapsed.

On Saturday, top Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya said the group had accepted a new ceasefire proposal from mediators in Egypt and Qatar. The same day, Israel confirmed that it had received a draft of the proposal, and said it had made a counteroffer, but gave no further details at the time.

Israel is ready to move to the final stages of the ceasefire, which would end the siege of Gaza, if Hamas stops fighting and clears out of the enclave, Netanyahu said in a video statement on Sunday.

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“The claim that we are not willing to talk about the final [ceasefire] stage is incorrect,” he said. “We are ready. Hamas will lay down its arms. Its leaders will be allowed to leave,” Netanyahu said.

Israel’s cabinet convened on Saturday and decided to further increase pressure on Hamas to push the group toward releasing its remaining hostages, the prime minister said. Israeli “pressure” on the militant group has already been effective, he added.

In the event the ceasefire is successful, Israel will take control of Gaza, Netanyahu said.

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“We will ensure general security in the Gaza Strip and enable the implementation of Trump’s plan, the voluntary immigration plan,” he said.

Last month, US President Donald Trump suggested the US could take over the enclave and build it into the “Riviera of the Middle East” while the Palestinian population could be moved out at the expense of neighboring states of “great wealth.” Arab nations have since rejected the plan, and have offered an alternative reconstruction plan for Gaza, which Israel and the US have rebuffed.