Israel is ready to agree to a permanent ceasefire in the besieged Gaza Strip. On Tuesday, March 4, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced this during a briefing with international media in Jerusalem. He stated that Israel’s conditions include the release of all hostages held by Hamas, the complete disarmament of Gaza, and the surrender of weapons by armed groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
However, Hamas rejected Israel’s proposal. Senior Hamas leader Sami Abu Zuhri stated that disarmament is a “red line” for them and other armed groups, and they would never agree to it. He added, “Talking about resistance weapons is foolish. The weapons of resistance are a red line for Hamas and other armed groups.”
Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007 through a coup and has since governed the region, building a powerful military force. On October 7, 2023, Hamas and Islamic Jihad launched attacks on various illegal Israeli settlements, capturing around 250 hostages. In response, Israel began a relentless and brutal military campaign in Gaza, lasting 15 months and resulting in the deaths of nearly 50,000 Palestinians.
Israel is now setting conditions that Hamas must relinquish control of Gaza to achieve a permanent ceasefire. Initially, Israel aimed to eliminate Hamas through warfare but has so far failed to achieve this goal.