For Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the US-brokered ceasefire is a tactical phase, not an end to the war. As President Donald Trump arrives to celebrate the deal, Netanyahu has made it clear that Israel’s strategic goals remain unchanged: the return of all hostages followed by the complete demilitarization of Hamas.
This uncompromising stance was reiterated on Friday as Israeli troops began their partial withdrawal from Gaza. Netanyahu credited Israel’s military pressure for bringing Hamas to the negotiating table, stating the group “agreed to the deal only when it felt that the sword was on its neck — and it is still on its neck.” This signals Israel’s readiness to resume military operations if its demands are not met in the next phases of negotiation.
The agreement represents a difficult balancing act for Netanyahu’s government. On one hand, securing the release of the final 48 hostages is a major domestic priority. On the other, Israel faces intense international isolation, including allegations of genocide at the UN’s highest court and international arrest warrants for its top leaders, making a prolonged war politically costly.
The central challenge is the unresolved question of Hamas’s future. While the group has been severely degraded militarily and has given up its primary bargaining chip by releasing the hostages, its leadership and organizational structure remain. An extended period of calm could allow Hamas to regroup and rearm, a scenario Israel is determined to prevent.
As Trump prepares to address the Knesset, he will be speaking to a nation that is both relieved by the return of its citizens and deeply concerned about its long-term security. Netanyahu’s message is that this truce is merely a pause, and the campaign to eradicate Hamas as a military threat will continue.