Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israel will not withdraw from its current positions in Gaza until Hamas has been completely disarmed. His remarks signaled that any Israeli pullback remains tied to the condition that the armed group no longer poses a military threat.
The statement underscores how central disarmament has become to Israel’s public position on the Gaza conflict. Netanyahu’s comments also appeared to reject pressure for a withdrawal before Hamas is forced to give up its weapons.
At the same time, regional diplomacy continued on other fronts. Qatar said mediators were making progress in efforts related to ending the U.S.-Iran war, pointing to ongoing attempts to reduce tensions through negotiation.
Separately, shipping security remained a concern near Yemen after an Indian vessel was hit and sank, according to the country’s shipping minister. The incident added to the sense of instability across the wider region as fighting, diplomacy and maritime risks continued to develop at once.
