Netanyahu Vows to Disarm Hamas as Gaza Hostage Talks Begin Under U.S. Peace Plan

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday vowed to disarm Hamas “either diplomatically or militarily” as indirect negotiations are going to take place in Egypt on a US-backed peace plan to end the nearly two-year-long war in Gaza and secure the release of remaining hostages.

Despite the preparations for ceasefire talks, multiple explosions were reported across the Gaza Strip on Sunday morning. This comes as Israeli and Hamas delegations prepare to meet in Egypt on Monday to discuss a proposal led by the United States.

Trump's Mediation

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday directed Israel to stop its bombing campaign in Gaza after Hamas announced it had accepted parts of the American peace proposal.

Trump, while welcoming Hamas’s statement, cautioned on Saturday that the group must act swiftly. 

“Hamas must move quickly, or else all bets will be off,” he warned.

In response to that, Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped to announce the release of all hostages from Gaza “in the coming days”.

In a brief statement late Saturday, Netanyahu confirmed that he has sent a delegation to Egypt “to finalise technical details” for the release of all the hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

“Our goal is to contain these negotiations to a timeframe of a few days,” Netanyahu added.

Netanyahu Rejects Full Withdrawal of Forces From Gaza, Vows to Disarm Hamas

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Hamas will be disarmed either through President Trump’s plan or by Israeli military force.

And he signalled that there would not be a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, one of Hamas’ key demands.

“There were those who dismissed the possibility that we could secure the release of all our hostages without a full withdrawal from Gaza,” Netanyahu said. 

“They told me it’s too good to be true. Yes, it’s too good to be true. But it’s real, and with God’s help, it will happen very soon,” he added.

A senior Egyptian official confirmed that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff will head Washington’s negotiating team in Cairo. The agenda includes finalising the terms for the hostage release, discussing prisoner exchanges, and mapping areas for a gradual Israeli withdrawal.

Arab mediators are also preparing for broader Palestinian unity talks to create a shared vision for Gaza’s political future once hostilities end.

The upcoming talks coincide with the second anniversary of Hamas’s October 7, 2023, assault on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians.

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