Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel would “retain security responsibility” for Gaza under a US-backed peace plan, and that it would “finish the job” of destroying Hamas if the Palestinian group rejected the deal.
“Hamas will be disarmed. Gaza will be demilitarized. Israel will retain security responsibility, including a security perimeter, for the foreseeable future. And lastly, Gaza will have a peaceful, civilian administration that is run neither by Hamas nor by the Palestinian Authority,” said Netanyahu at a joint press conference with US President Donald Trump.
“If Hamas rejects your plan, Mr. President, or if they supposedly accept it and then, then basically do everything to counter it, then Israel will finish the job by itself. This can be done the easy way, or it can be done the hard way, but it will be done,” Netanyahu said.
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© Agence France-Presse
