Egypt Daily News – Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on Tuesday that Israel sets its conditions for proceeding with the Gaza ceasefire agreement the “complete disarmament” of Gaza as a condition for moving to the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.
Speaking at a press conference in Jerusalem, the Israeli official stated: “We have no agreement regarding the second phase. We demand the complete disarmament of Gaza, the departure of Hamas and its allies in Islamic Jihad, and the return of our hostages.”
He added, “If we achieve that, we can reach an agreement tomorrow.” The first phase of the agreement ended on Saturday.
While he refrained from commenting on reports about a possible date for resuming the war in Gaza, he stated: “If we want to, we will,” emphasizing that his country “will not allow another October 7 attack from any front.”
The Israeli official accused Hamas of using aid to continue fighting Israel, claiming that “aid has become an economic driver for Hamas in Gaza.”
Sa’ar considered that humanitarian aid “has become the main source of revenue for Hamas in Gaza,” justifying his country’s decision to suspend the entry of goods and supplies into the besieged territory.
He added, “Humanitarian aid has become the primary source of Hamas’ revenue in Gaza, and such funds are used by Hamas to finance terrorism and rebuild its capabilities.”
Israel’s decision to halt the entry of aid into Gaza, which is suffering from destruction and a massive humanitarian crisis, has faced widespread Arab and international criticism.
Regarding developments in Syria, Sa’ar stated that “the presence of Islamist groups on the border would be extremely dangerous for Israel.”
He emphasized that the issue in Syria “is not about territorial integrity, but rather about ensuring that our borders remain quiet.” He also noted that “the rights of minorities in Syria must be fully respected, including the Kurds.”
On Monday, Syrian state media reported that the vicinity of Tartus, in western Syria, was hit by “Israeli” strikes. Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported an explosion near the city’s port, and the Israeli military confirmed targeting a “military site” to the north.
Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes on Syrian military sites following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad on December 8, asserting that its goal is to prevent hostile forces from gaining control over “strategic capabilities.”
The strikes came days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for making “southern Syria a completely demilitarized zone,” asserting that Israel “will not allow” the new administration’s forces to deploy south of Damascus.
In addition to airstrikes, Israeli forces quickly announced their advance into the buffer zone in the Golan Heights on the day of Assad’s fall.
The final statement of the National Dialogue Conference, held in Damascus last month, condemned the “Israeli incursion into Syrian territory,” reaffirming the commitment to “preserving Syria’s unity, sovereignty over its entire territory, and rejecting any form of partition, fragmentation, or relinquishment of any part of the homeland.”
