Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that the war in Gaza will not end until Hamas is fully disarmed and the Palestinian territory demilitarised.

His comments came as Hamas’s armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, handed over the remains of two more hostages on Saturday night under a US-brokered ceasefire agreement.

“The war will end when Hamas is disarmed and Gaza is demilitarised. When that is successfully completed — hopefully in an easy way, but if not, in a hard way — then the war will end.” Netanyahu said during an appearance on Israel’s right-wing Channel 14.

The Israeli military confirmed late Saturday that a Red Cross team had received the remains of two hostages and that their coffins were being transported to Israeli security forces in Gaza.

The return of the dead hostages has become a key issue in the implementation of the ceasefire’s first phase, with Israel linking the reopening of the Rafah crossing to Egypt to the recovery of all hostages’ remains. Netanyahu hinted that the crossing would remain closed until Hamas fully complies with the terms of the truce.

“Its reopening will be considered based on how Hamas fulfils its part in returning the hostages and the bodies of the deceased,” his office said.
Hamas warned that keeping the crossing closed could delay the retrieval and transfer of remains. Meanwhile, the Palestinian mission in Cairo said the Rafah crossing could reopen as early as Monday, but only for Gazans living in Egypt who wish to return home.

Under the ceasefire deal brokered by US President Donald Trump, Hamas has released all 20 living hostages and the remains of nine Israelis and one Nepalese, while Israel has freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and handed over 135 bodies of Palestinians since the truce took effect on October 10.

Despite the pause in fighting, some violence persists. Gaza’s civil defence agency said Israeli troops fired two tank shells at a bus in Gaza City on Saturday, killing nine Palestinians including four children. The Israeli military said the vehicle had approached a restricted zone and that troops opened fire “to remove the threat.”

In northern Gaza, UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher described the scale of devastation as “absolutely devastating,” saying aid agencies now face a “massive 60-day plan” to deliver food, rebuild health services, and provide shelter before winter.

Amid the ongoing conflict, Netanyahu also confirmed that he intends to seek re-election in the November 2026 elections. When asked on Channel 14 if he would run again, he replied simply, “Yes.” Pressed on whether he expected to win, he added, “Yes.”

Netanyahu, who has served more than 18 years as Israel’s prime minister, the longest in the nation’s history, leads the right-wing Likud party. His coalition, which includes ultra-Orthodox and far-right allies, won a combined 64 seats in the last Knesset election.

His current term has been marked by controversy, including a divisive judicial overhaul plan that triggered months of mass protests. Since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, Netanyahu has also faced mounting criticism from hostage families and opposition figures over his handling of the war.

Still, the veteran leader signaled no intention of stepping aside, vowing to see the war through and continue his political career beyond it.