Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on October 18th, 2025, that the Gaza war will conclude after the second phase of a truce is completed, contingent on the disarmament of Hamas. Netanyahu also revealed that Iran had intended to deploy two airborne divisions to support Nasrallah. These statements were made during the reporting window and come as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are reportedly conditioning their financial support for Gaza's reconstruction on the disarmament of Hamas, according to reports from X users @kaisos1987 and @AyalaHasson on "NewShabbat." Further elaborating on the conflict's trajectory, Netanyahu stated that the war's end is tied to the completion of phase two of a truce, which includes the disarmament of Hamas. This aligns with the reported conditions set by Saudi Arabia and the UAE for their reconstruction aid. Meanwhile, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem, in a statement shared on X by @HowidyHamza, accused the Palestinian Authority of seeking to maintain chaos in Gaza for political gain and neglecting the Strip's conditions over the past two years, a claim that Hamas itself has been accused of by an unnamed source on X who stated Hamas is "executing innocent people in the streets, attacking Gazan families with RPGs and mortars, torturing people in hospital basements, and charging people âtaxesâ so they can have a tent to sleep in." In related regional developments, KAN, Israel's public broadcaster, reported on Saturday, October 18th, 2025, that the United Arab Emirates has purchased land in Israel for the construction of a permanent embassy. This indicates a strengthening of diplomatic ties between the two nations amidst ongoing regional tensions.
