Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Tuesday that he would not allow the establishment of a Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip, asserting that Israel would maintain security control "from Jordan to the sea".
"I'm hearing that I will allow the establishment of a Palestinian state in Gaza -- this hasn't happened and it will not happen... I think you all know that the person who has repeatedly blocked the establishment of a Palestinian state is me," Netanyahu said in a televised press conference.
"Israel will exercise security control from the Jordan to the sea, and that applies to the Gaza Strip as well."
Netanyahu said that Israel was focusing on disarming Hamas and demilitarising Gaza after the return of the last hostage from the Palestinian territory a day earlier.
"Now we are focused on completing the two remaining tasks: disarming Hamas and demilitarising Gaza of weapons and tunnels," Netanyahu said during a televised press conference.
The US-sponsored ceasefire plan in effect since October 10 demands the Palestinian resistance movement's disarmament under the second phase of the agreement.
