Netanyahu says Israel will not withdraw from Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Thursday that Israel has no intention of withdrawing its forces from the Gaza Strip, reaffirming the government's current military strategy amid the ongoing conflict that began in October 2023. The statement was made during a press briefing in Jerusalem, where Netanyahu emphasized that the operations aim to achieve decisive objectives against Hamas and that any change in the deployment of troops would be contingent on security assessments rather than external pressure.

The declaration comes as international diplomatic efforts intensify, with the United Nations and several countries urging a cease‑fire and the opening of humanitarian corridors for civilians trapped in the enclave. Israeli officials have cited continued rocket attacks and the need to dismantle militant infrastructure as justification for maintaining a presence in Gaza. While the United States has expressed support for Israel’s right to self‑defense, it also called for measures to protect civilian lives. Netanyahu’s remarks signal that, for the foreseeable future, Israel’s military posture in Gaza will remain unchanged pending a reassessment of the security situation.