Israel’s prime minister reaffirms his support for the Board of Peace plan to disarm and rebuild the Gaza Strip, says Israel is working to ensure winter aid reaches Gaza.By David Rosenberg, World Israel NewsPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israel is fully committed to implementing the US-backed Board of Peace’s Gaza reconstruction plan, while blaming Hamas’s refusal to disarm for the lack of progress since the deal was given initial approval by both Israel and Hamas more than a year ago.In a statement addressing the situation in Gaza and the Board of Peace, Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan, emphasizing that Hamas must disarm and Gaza must be demilitarized before reconstruction can begin.“The State of Israel is working in close cooperation with the United States and the Board of Peace. Israel is committed to the success of President Trump’s 20-point plan,” Netanyahu said.“Under the plan, Hamas must disarm and Gaza must be demilitarized before reconstruction begins.”Netanyahu accused Hamas of failing to fulfill its commitments to relinquish its weapons, withdraw from governing Gaza and begin a process of deradicalization.“To date, Hamas has not surrendered a single weapon, and it continues to hold the people of Gaza hostage to its terrorist rule,” he said.The prime minister also accused Hamas of systematically diverting humanitarian assistance and civilian infrastructure materials for military purposes, citing the use of cement, water pipes and sanitation equipment to construct tunnels and manufacture weapons.“Hamas has done what it has always done: lie, steal, exploit, and rearm,” Netanyahu said.He warned that allowing reconstruction to proceed while Hamas remains in control of Gaza would enable the organization to rebuild its military capabilities using materials intended for civilian projects.“As long as Hamas remains in power, it will use every dual-use item entering Gaza to entrench its terror regime and expand its military arsenal,” he said.Despite Hamas’s continued refusal to disarm, Netanyahu said Israel has facilitated additional humanitarian assistance to help Gaza residents prepare for winter.According to the prime minister, Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) has implemented a winter preparedness program in cooperation with the Board of Peace, the United Nations, international aid organizations and donor countries.The measures include the delivery of more than 91,000 tents and over 8,200 trucks carrying tarpaulins, blankets, winter clothing and other supplies.Israel has also facilitated the entry of 12 vacuum trucks to remove sewage, along with repairs to water and sewage networks and fuel supplies for pumping facilities, Netanyahu said.The prime minister pledged that Israel would continue supporting humanitarian efforts to address winter conditions in Gaza, while insisting that assistance must not be diverted for military purposes.Netanyahu also accused Hamas of exploiting the suffering of Gaza residents to deflect responsibility for the humanitarian situation.“Hamas alone is responsible for the suffering of the people of Gaza, and it is now cynically exploiting that suffering to shift blame onto Israel once again,” he said.“Israel calls upon the mediators to demand that Hamas disarm immediately throughout Gaza, so that President Trump’s 20-point plan can be realized,” Netanyahu added.The post Netanyahu says Israel committed to Trump’s Gaza peace plan, says Hamas blocking reconstruction appeared first on World Israel News.