During a speech to Israel army commanders, the Prime Minister also warned Israel is ready to return at any moment to 'intensive combat' in Gaza
News Desk - The Cradle
"We will not allow forces from the HTS organization or the new Syrian army to enter the area south of Damascus," Netanyahu said, referring to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) forces, the former Al-Qaeda branch in Syria that toppled the government of Bashar al-Assad.
"We demand the complete demilitarization of southern Syria," Netanyahu added while speaking at a ceremony for combat officers in central Israel.
HTS fought against the Assad government for 14 years, enjoying support from the US, Israel, Turkiye, and Gulf states, before taking power in December.
When HTS came to power, led by former Al-Qaeda commander Ahmad al-Sharaa, Israeli forces immediately moved to occupy additional Syrian territory in the demilitarized zone in the Golan Heights, including atop the strategic Mount Hermon.
Israeli troops will stay in these newly occupied territories for "an unlimited period of time… We will not allow [HTS] forces or the new Syrian army to move into territory south of Damascus," Netanyahu insisted.
"We demand full demilitarization of southern Syria from troops of the new Syrian regime in the Quneitra, Daraa, and Suweyda provinces," Netanyahu said, adding that Israel will not accept any threats to the Druze religious minority in southern Syria.
During his speech to the combat officers, Netanyahu also warned that in the Gaza Strip, Israel is "ready to return at any moment to intensive combat. The operational plans are ready."
"All of our hostages, without exception, will return home," he said. "Hamas won't rule Gaza. Gaza will be demilitarized, and its fighting force will be dismantled."
A ceasefire is currently in place to halt fighting between Hamas and Israel in Gaza and to facilitate a prisoner exchange between the two sides.
As part of the deal, Hamas released six Israeli captives from Gaza on Saturday, including Omer Shem Tov, who kissed the foreheads of two Hamas fighters on a stage during a public ceremony marking his release in the town of Nuseirat.
However, Israel refused to release the Palestinian prisoners it had agreed to release Saturday as part of the deal.
The Prime Minister's office said on Sunday the release of Palestinian prisoners planned for yesterday has been paused "until the release of the next hostages is guaranteed, and without the rituals of humiliation."
Israeli leaders have been angered by the ceremonies held by Hamas each time a captive is released. Many released captives have shown empathy and friendship toward the Hamas fighters during the ceremonies and while being transferred to the Red Crescent.
During his speech, Netanyahu called Hamas "monsters" and claimed the resistance movement had "strangled" a small Israeli boy and his baby brother, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas, "with their bare hands" during their captivity in Gaza.
However, the boy's father, Yarden, who was also held captive in Gaza and released by Hamas this month, had previously accused Benjamin Netanyahu's government of killing the boys through airstrikes. In a November 2023 statement, he claimed that the Israeli prime minister bombed and killed his wife and two children.
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