Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the conflict in Gaza will end once Hamas is disarmed and hostages are freed, unveiling a five-point plan for the territory’s future while accusing international media of spreading “Hamas lies.”
Speaking at a press conference in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said Hamas still has “thousands of armed terrorists” in Gaza who are committed to repeating the 7 October attacks and destroying Israel. He alleged that the group oppresses Gaza’s population, steals aid, and prevents civilians from reaching safe zones.
“Our goal is not to occupy Gaza,” he said. “Our goal is to free Gaza from Hamas terrorists.”
Netanyahu outlined a post-war vision based on five principles: the disarmament of Hamas, the release of all hostages, Gaza’s demilitarisation, Israel’s overriding security control, and the establishment of a non-Israeli civilian administration that does not promote or fund terrorism.
The prime minister said Israeli forces now control 70 to 75 percent of Gaza, with two remaining Hamas strongholds in Gaza City and the central camps. He confirmed that the Israeli Security Cabinet has instructed the military to dismantle these positions while moving civilians to designated safe zones and providing food, water, and medical aid.
Addressing accusations of starvation in Gaza, Netanyahu said Israel has allowed nearly two million tonnes of aid into the territory since the war began, blaming Hamas for looting supplies and the UN for delays in distribution. He presented photographs that he said disproved media claims of famine, accusing outlets such as the New York Times of publishing misleading images.
Netanyahu also said the humanitarian aid system is being expanded through safe corridors, additional distribution points managed by Gazan Humanitarian Foundations, and airdrops coordinated with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.
On the question of Palestinian statehood, the prime minister dismissed recent moves by several countries to recognise it, calling such steps a “reward for Hamas” and warning they would “bring the next war closer.” He argued the conflict persists because of the “persistent Palestinian refusal to recognise a Jewish state in any boundary.”
Responding to questions on international criticism, Netanyahu acknowledged a “propaganda war” that he said Israel is not currently winning, citing social media disinformation campaigns. He insisted the fastest way to counter this was by ending the conflict decisively and defeating Hamas.
Netanyahu said Israel’s aim was to conclude the campaign quickly, secure the release of the remaining 20 living hostages, and establish a transitional governance structure in Gaza with regional partners. However, he stressed that no civilian authority would be viable unless Hamas was “completely defeated.”
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Hamas has strongly condemned new Israeli government decisions to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank, warning the measures pose an “existential threat” to Palestinians and are designed to consolidate Israeli control over the territory.
Benjamin Netanyahu will meet Donald Trump in Washington on Wednesday, a date brought forward as indirect U.S.-Iran nuclear talks in Oman restart and Tehran presses its enrichment rights while ruling out missile negotiations.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has deployed one of its largest ballistic missiles at a newly unveiled underground base on Wednesday (3 February), just two days ahead of mediated nuclear talks with the United States in Muscat, Oman.
Israeli tank shelling and airstrikes killed 24 Palestinians including seven children in Gaza on Wednesday (4 February), health officials said, the latest violence to undermine the nearly four-month-old ceasefire.
U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised American freestyle skier Hunter Hess after the athlete said he felt conflicted about representing the United States at the Winter Olympics in Italy, sparking a public clash that highlights growing political tensions surrounding the Games.
Iran would retaliate by striking U.S. military bases across the Middle East if it comes under attack by American forces, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday (7 January), stressing that such action should not be seen as targeting the countries hosting those bases.
U.S. skiing great Lindsey Vonn underwent surgery in an Italian hospital on Sunday after her attempt to win Olympic downhill gold ended in a violent crash just seconds into the race at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.
A Japanese city near Mount Fuji has cancelled its annual cherry blossom festival, saying growing numbers of badly behaved tourists are disrupting daily life for residents.
Several avalanches struck northern Italy on Saturday, killing at least three people, as rescue officials warned the death toll could rise with unstable conditions persisting across the Alps.
Kazakhstan says it's significantly expanded its international air connectivity last year, reopening and launching flights to 30 countries according to data released by the country’s transport authorities. By the end of 2025, Kazakhstan was operating 135 international routes.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has welcomed a fresh round of nuclear talks with the United States, insisting Tehran will protect its right to enrichment under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Iranian activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi was sentenced to a new prison term of 7-1/2 years, a group supporting her said on Sunday (8 February).
U.S. Vice President JD Vance will travel to Italy, Armenia and Azerbaijan from 9–11 February, accompanied by Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg, underscoring Washington’s push to promote peace and economic connectivity in the South Caucasus.
Hamas has strongly condemned new Israeli government decisions to expand settlements in the occupied West Bank, warning the measures pose an “existential threat” to Palestinians and are designed to consolidate Israeli control over the territory.
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