Israel bombs Gaza Strip. Minister says occupation is necessary

Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on Sunday resulted in the deaths of at least 18 Palestinians, according to local medical services, representing the highest casualty count in weeks. Bombardments targeted Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, and the Khan Yunis area.

These strikes followed an announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump on July 30, stating that Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups had agreed to disarm. This disarmament is a prerequisite for the Israeli army's withdrawal from the entire Gaza Strip, as outlined in a 20-point peace plan developed by the Trump administration.

However, Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet, voiced significant skepticism regarding the potential for disarmament. Speaking on Israeli radio, Cohen indicated that while the Israeli government would give Hamas a chance to disarm, he doubted the likelihood of it actually happening. He also stated that no agreement had been reached to halt Israeli attacks on targets within Gaza.

Cohen emphasized the necessity for the Israeli army to take control of the entire enclave if Hamas fails to disarm. "In the agreement we signed with the United States, we adopted the position that Hamas must be dismantled. This is the first thing that must happen," he declared. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Minister, Doron Spielman, told Reuters that Israel had conveyed its concerns to the U.S. regarding the Hamas disarmament plan, stressing that "the most important thing for Israel is that nothing can happen until Hamas is completely and truly disarmed."

Hamas, in response, has stated that Israel must cease its attacks on Gaza and withdraw its troops before the organization will hand over weapons to new Palestinian authorities in the enclave. Basem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau, accused Israel of... [article truncated]