Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that Israeli forces will remain in the Gaza Strip to maintain pressure on Hamas until the group disarms and the enclave is demilitarized.

Axar.az informs, citing Xinhua, in a televised address a day after his government approved a ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas, Netanyahu said the Israeli military "remains deep inside the strip and holds all the positions that control it."

"In this way, we are encircling Hamas from every direction ahead of the next stages of the plan, in which Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza demilitarized," he said. "If this is achieved the easy way -- that will be good. If not, it will be achieved the hard way."