JERUSALEM (Realist English). Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out any “safe exit” for around 200 Hamas fighters reportedly trapped in tunnels in southern Gaza — even as he continues to voice public support for Donald Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan.
Israel’s Channel 12 earlier reported that the proposed deal included granting Hamas militants safe passage to areas of Gaza still under their control, on the condition that they surrendered their weapons and returned additional bodies of Israeli hostages.
However, a senior Israeli official — widely understood to speak for Netanyahu’s office — later issued a categorical denial, saying the prime minister “remains firm” on his stance that Hamas must be completely disarmed and Gaza fully demilitarized.
“The prime minister maintains a clear and unwavering position regarding the disarmament of Hamas and the elimination of terrorist threats to our forces,” the official said.
The statement directly contradicts a key provision in Trump’s peace framework, unveiled in September, which offered amnesty to Hamas members who agree to lay down their arms and commit to peaceful coexistence after the full return of Israeli hostages.
The first phase of Trump’s plan — involving a limited hostage-prisoner exchange — took effect on October 9, but subsequent stages have yet to be implemented amid disagreements between Jerusalem and Washington over security guarantees and political terms.
Netanyahu’s latest comments highlight the growing divide between the White House ceasefire blueprint and Israel’s insistence on achieving a total military defeat of Hamas before any long-term truce can take hold.
