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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that "even if Hamas agrees to a last-minute ceasefire, Tel Aviv will maintain control over Gaza."
He made this statement during an interview with Sky News Australia, adding that the aim is to "eliminate the remaining militants and ensure security."
Netanyahu said that the military operation in the enclave "is approaching its end."
He added that "the war could end today if Hamas lays down its arms and releases the remaining 50 hostages, at least 20 of whom are alive."
The Israeli premier said that the goal is to get all the hostages out and disarm Hamas, demilitarize Gaza, and give a different future to Gazans.
"U.S. President Donald Trump fully supports our military objective to take control of Gaza City to eliminate Hamas, and we will do it regardless," the Israeli minister asserted.
"There was never any doubt that we would not leave Hamas there. I believe President Trump expressed it best when he said that Hamas must disappear from Gaza," he added.
Netanyahu emphasized that eliminating Hamas’s last stronghold is essential for achieving lasting peace for both Israelis and Palestinians, noting that "the war is nearing its end."
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