Netanyahu Says War Will End Once Hamas Disarms, But Gaza’s Rafah Crossing to Remain Closed

Jerusalem: Israel announced on Saturday that the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza will remain closed “until further notice,” marking a significant setback in the ongoing ceasefire negotiations and humanitarian efforts in the region.

According to AFP, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that the complete disarmament of Hamas is a prerequisite for ending the war in Gaza. Netanyahu emphasized that the cessation of hostilities depends on the successful implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire plan.

“The second phase, or Phase B, also includes the disarming of Hamas — or more precisely, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip after Hamas is stripped of its weapons,” Netanyahu said, reaffirming Israel’s stance on the conflict’s resolution process.

He further stated that the war would end “hopefully in an easy way, but if not, in a hard way,” underscoring that peace can only follow once Hamas is neutralized militarily and politically.

Netanyahu’s remarks came as the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades—the armed wing of Hamas—announced that they would hand over the bodies of two additional Israeli hostages on Saturday evening. This development came amid ongoing international mediation to advance the truce and facilitate humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Shortly before 11:00 PM (2000 GMT), the Israeli military confirmed that a Red Cross team was en route to collect “several” bodies, according to reports from AFP. The handover of hostages and bodies remains a key element of the fragile ceasefire framework brokered by multiple international actors.

Israel Ties Rafah Crossing Reopening to Return of Hostage Bodies

As reported by the Associated Press, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office stated that the reopening of the Rafah crossing would depend on Hamas fulfilling the ceasefire condition of returning the bodies of all 28 Israeli hostages confirmed dead.

Earlier, the Palestinian Embassy in Egypt had announced that Rafah—the only entry and exit point between Gaza and the outside world—was expected to reopen on Monday. Meanwhile, Israel’s Foreign Ministry had suggested the crossing might resume operations as early as Sunday. However, these plans have since been postponed amid renewed tensions.

According to the AP, Hamas has so far returned ten bodies of Israeli hostages and pledged to surrender two more on Saturday night. The identities of the deceased have not yet been released.

Among the core provisions of the ongoing ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas are the release of all captives and the reopening of the Rafah crossing to enable humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza’s civilian population.

Humanitarian organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), have been urging both sides to maintain the ceasefire commitments to ensure that vital medical and food supplies can enter the Gaza Strip, where conditions have worsened amid weeks of conflict and blockade.

The Rafah crossing remains a critical lifeline for Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, serving as the primary route for humanitarian shipments and medical evacuations. Its prolonged closure has raised growing concerns among aid agencies and international observers about the worsening humanitarian crisis.

As diplomatic negotiations continue, Netanyahu has reaffirmed that Israel’s military operations will persist until Hamas is fully demilitarized, signaling that a permanent ceasefire remains uncertain despite mounting global pressure for peace.