Israel is seeking "the disarming of Hamas and the demilitarization of Gaza," which "will be achieved," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during his first official visit to US Central Command (CENTCOM)'s Civil-Military Coordination Center in Kiryat Gat on Wednesday
This is "the goal that was agreed with US President Donald Trump for security," Netanyahu added.
"We are working on this in stages, together with other components of the plan," he noted.
"I am happy to host our American friends here in Kiryat Gat. They are working together with us on a plan to achieve a different Gaza, a Gaza that will no longer pose a threat to Israel," Netanyahu said.
Through cooperation, the US and Israel have "already done things that have astounded the world - both in Iran and in achieving the release of the remaining living hostages, which nobody believed we would succeed in achieving," Netanyahu continued.
"There is a real joint effort here, while keeping security in our hands, to achieve results that perhaps no one believed we would achieve; we want to try," he affirmed.
Netanyahu also referenced Trump saying that "Either we achieve this the easy way, as we hope, or we will have to achieve it the hard way, but we will achieve what we are looking to achieve."
Several senior IDF, CENTCOM leaders present for visit to CMCC
Netanyahu was joined on the visit by senior IDF officials, including Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, Maj.-Gen. Yaki Dolf, who will lead the Israeli military's coordination with CMCC, Shin Bet chief Maj.-Gen. (res.) David Zini, and other senior IDF officials.
CENTCOM head Admiral Brad Cooper and Lt.-Gen. Patrick D. Frank were also present, and spoke with Netanyahu and the IDF leaders.