Hamas: Israeli Withdrawal from Netzarim Axis Signals Netanyahu’s Defeat

Hamas has hailed the Israeli army’s withdrawal from the Netzarim axis in Gaza as a clear indication of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s failure to achieve his objectives, calling it a humiliating defeat.

Senior Hamas leader Sami Abu Zahri stated that the retreat marks a significant setback for Netanyahu, who had vowed not to abandon the area. “Repeated invasions yield the same result: Gaza remains unconquerable,” he asserted.

Abu Zahri compared the withdrawal to Israel’s 2005 pullout from Gaza under then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who had famously equated the strategic importance of Netzarim to Tel Aviv. “Twenty years later, Netanyahu has repeated history, retreating despite his declarations that he would never abandon Netzarim,” he said.

Hamas issued an official statement celebrating the Israeli withdrawal as a “victory for the Palestinian people’s will” and a testament to “the resilience and heroism of the resistance.” The group stressed that Israel’s failure to maintain control over the corridor proves the collapse of its military objectives in Gaza.

“Our people, through their steadfastness and the sacrifices of their sons in the resistance, led by the al-Qassam Brigades, have shattered the occupation’s illusions of controlling Gaza and dividing it,” the statement read.

Hamas reaffirmed its commitment to defending Palestinian rights and resisting any attempts at displacement, vowing to continue its struggle until the Palestinian people achieve self-determination and establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.