Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip cannot begin until Hamas is disarmed, according to a media report from the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth.
The media report said Netanyahu did not directly deny the reports when addressing previous media reports claiming that the U.S. government has decided to drop the disarmament of Hamas as a precondition for Gaza's reconstruction. However, he firmly emphasized that Israel would absolutely not accept the reconstruction of Gaza without the territory being demilitarized first, the report noted.
A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on Oct 10, 2025. Its first phase included an exchange of prisoners and detainees between the two sides, the entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from some areas of Gaza.
The United States announced in mid-January the start of the second phase, which focuses on Gaza's demilitarization, reconstruction, transitional governance, and full Israeli withdrawal.
Regarding the situation in Lebanon, the report said Netanyahu firmly denied the rumor that U.S. President Donald Trump had pressured Israel to refrain from taking action against Hezbollah tunnels in Lebanon. He stated that the United States had made no such request and that Israel's military operations were based entirely on its own considerations.
Israeli PM says Hamas must be disarmed before Gaza reconstruction: media
The devastating earthquakes that hit Venezuela in late June have dealt a heavy blow to production and jobs across the region, with the hardest-hit areas now facing a recovery effort that is expected to be long and grueling.
Local authorities in La Guaira state, the hardest-hit region of the country, are now ramping up rebuilding efforts while rolling out a series of economic measures to get the regional economy back on track.
At a fishing port in the town of Caraballeda, some 150 fishermen were working before the quakes hit. The area also housed fish product shops and a seafood processing plant that provided jobs for local women. The earthquakes directly affected about 200 families in the area -- bringing casualties, damaged homes, and wrecked workplaces that sustained their livelihoods.
"This disaster is affecting every Venezuelan right now. We can't go out to fish -- there's simply no fuel. Buildings are down, and so many of my fellow fishermen have lost their boats. We're now trying to repair what we can, holding on to whatever little we have left," said Jimmy Rangel, a local fisherman.
Local authorities have stepped in to help fishermen restore their means of production and return to sea as soon as possible.
What's happening at this port is a microcosm of the broader economic crisis unfolding behind Venezuela's recent earthquakes, and the impact of this disaster is likely to linger for a long time.
Across La Guaira state, shopping centers, small businesses, supermarkets, and tourism-related industries have suffered varying degrees of damage and are expected to feel the effects for some time to come.
To protect quake-affected communities and drive economic recovery, the Venezuelan government has announced a package of policy measures covering banking, financial markets, construction, small and micro enterprises, the oil and gas sector, and the pharmaceutical and food industries.
Venezuela faces daunting task of post-quake economic recovery
