Netanyahu Calls For Full Gaza Control; Hamas Slams Move As "Coup" Amid Ceasefire Talks

Last Updated:August 08, 2025, 01:57 IST

The militant group accused Netanyahu of exploiting the conflict for personal and ideological gain.

Netanyahu argued that Israel's intention is to dismantle Hamas’s control and restore security (IMAGE: AFP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for complete military control over the Gaza Strip, a statement made during his interview with Fox News on Thursday. The remarks come amid renewed discussions around a possible ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. However, Netanyahu’s comments have drawn swift and sharp criticism from Hamas, which labelled the move as “a coup."

The militant group accused Netanyahu of exploiting the conflict for personal and ideological gain. In an official statement, Hamas said, “Netanyahu’s plans to escalate the aggression confirm beyond any doubt his desire to get rid of the captives and sacrifice them in pursuit of his personal interests and extremist ideological agenda."

Further condemning the plan, Hamas accused Israel of continuing a systematic campaign against Palestinians in Gaza, reported Reuters. “What he is planning is a continuation of a policy of genocide and forced displacement, through the perpetration of further crimes against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip," the statement read.

Netanyahu, in his interview, argued that Israel’s intention is to dismantle Hamas’s control and restore security. “We intend to [take control of Gaza], in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there, enable the population to be free of Gaza," he said.

While asserting military control, Netanyahu added that Israel does not wish to retain permanent control of Gaza. He proposed that Arab nations could eventually take over governance of the territory. “We don’t want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter," he added, according to a report by the Irish Independent.

Meanwhile, a Jordanian official, speaking to Reuters, reiterated that Arab countries will support only those outcomes that are agreed upon by the Palestinian people. “Arab countries would only support what Palestinians agree and decide on," the official said.

Netanyahu convened his security cabinet on Thursday to discuss the situation and also held a three-hour meeting with the head of the Israeli military earlier this week, underlining the seriousness of the ongoing operations.

The current war began when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Although there were indirect negotiations in recent months aimed at a ceasefire and hostage release, those talks collapsed in late July.

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